Torn Between Loyalities
by LydeaBlaze
Summary: Set, after An Unbreakable Bond (and that too is after The Trap). After making amends, Soren and Kludd have forgiven each other, but no one knows of this. However, the words "betrayed" and "traitor" is thrown around a lot, especially as a battle is about to begin a war and absolution from dreams comes the darkness within Kludd's mind as revenge vows come true. Can Soren stop Kludd?
1. Chapter 1: Very Different Circumstances

Torn Between Loyalties

_This one is set after An Unbreakable Bond in the Story Continues Series. We have seen Aftermath, The Trap, An Unbreakable Bond and now we are up to this story._

Chapter 1: Very Different Circumstances

Six months ago, Kludd wrote a letter, but he didn't have the courage to send it. He was thinking of destroying it so no one, not even the one who it is meant for can read it. He finally got enough courage to get it to a messenger and then it was sent. It was early in the morning next evening that Kludd left to go to Tyto Forest, the southern areas, where their former home was, before they went to Ga'Hoole and Kludd… he went to St. Aegolius.

Kludd is standing in the remains in what was their hollow. It's pretty much completely bare and what was left behind was Soren's leaf helm. Kludd picks it up and the many memories of that role-play his brother, Soren would do resurface. It is still his favourite story, Battle of the Ice Claws, even if the unabridged tale sounds horrible and makes the war sound like hell. He then hears fluttering of feathers as he continues to hold the helm and he exerts a deep, saddening sigh.

"I remember when you and Eg played that game over a million times. That memory haunts me like hagsmire." Kludd sighs as his younger brother, Soren, sheepishly enters.

"Kludd… is that really you?" Soren asks, hesitantly as he enters, taking cautious steps.

"Besides the helmet and the burns… yeah, it is." Kludd sadly says, remaining distant from Soren

"I came… I read your scroll…" Soren says nervously as he feels like he is walking on glass; one blunder and he could shatter

"I didn't bring anyone with me. Nyra and the others were asleep when I left." Kludd replies to his brother's short and nervous sentence

"I left shortly after some I know and I read the scroll… She told me some advice." Soren informs his brother as he then pauses

"Was it the same owl I tried to kill? I would tell her sorry, but she is with whatever his name is." Kludd asks as he turns his head slightly to face Soren

"Princess Autumn of Ambala? She's going to be married to Ezylryb in April next year. Yeah, yeah. She told me to come and see you. She says that…" Soren says before he gulps "That you are my brother… no matter what. She is a wise woman, I guess."

"Yeah… I agree." Kludd sadly smiles "She must be wise to say something like that when her brother hated her. Well, he's dead now, so… yeah."

"How are things since… you know…?" Soren says, in hope his brother will talk to him

"A bit off I guess… What with all the constant daymares happening every bloody night, I call it karma kicking my hide. And… The preparations for my birthday are happening so…" Kludd replies "How about you?"

"Same here." Soren sadly replies "but, I have been sorta a bit distracted lately."

"You know, I am sorry… I just… Things have been off for me as of late. If you have come here to kill me and not forgive me for all that I have done and said, you can. I just wanted to see my brother and to set things right with at least you, or to try to." Kludd says, with some anxiety and sadness as to what his brother will do with the blade he holds in his claw

"I did sorta blurt out to da in an argument a few weeks after what happened back here with everything to do with what almost happened to Autumn or whatever that you are the High Tyto and ma started crying. I sorta blew it. I'm an idiot and I know it. Eg knows the truth too, but doesn't know the half of it. She knows you are just bad. I accept your apology, big brother. Like Autumn said to me "never lose faith in anyone"." Soren says

Kludd smiles to his brother and Soren smiles back. Kludd scuffles the feathers atop of his little brother's head. In this time they spend together, Kludd explains his daymares that he has been having every odd night, which scare the hagsmire out of him. It has been happening more than a few times a month for these six months in which have passed.

After this time together, they go their separate ways. Kludd is flying back to St. Aegolius and it is only nightfall now…

* * *

In St. Aegolius, Nyra is asleep before she slightly tosses and turns before awaking a little annoyed. It takes her a few moments to wake up before realising Kludd is gone. She starts to get worried. The attendants in the room are asleep themselves as Nyra gets up and checks around for Kludd. No sign of him in this room. She then places on a grey cape with white fluff around the hood and on the hem as she steps outside into the hallway quietly, without disturbing the guards. She immediately notices the change of temperature, as it is still winter and it is frightfully cold, even for an owl which is insulated by their feathers and down. Of course, there was a small fire in the fireplace in the room going, so maybe that is why.

Nyra walks down the long and winding corridor of the palace as she is looking for Kludd. She then enters the throne room and there still is no sign of him. She then walks around for a bit before heading out another set of doors and to the office in which he works. No sign of him either…

She immediately gets worried. Funny, she usually never gets worried, but she has changed a lot since Metalbeak died, she's a little more kind, a little fragile too, and she realised what love is… as she had forgotten what is was a fair while ago. She gets more worried by the moments, and as she heads up the corridor, she just has to let them all know…

"Kludd is missing! Kludd is missing!" Nyra shrieks with panic as she runs up the hallway, her cape trailing behind her and the clicks of her talons hitting the stone floor audible "Your King is missing!"

The guards at the entrance to the bedchamber wake up in surprise, the attendants in the room too. And in another room, Elanore awakes and then pokes her head from behind the door to see their queen running up and down the hallway panicking. She then exits the room wearing a burgundy red cape with white fluff around the hood and hem.

"Nyra, what the hagsmire is going on!" Elanore interrupts as she enters the corridor as she then stops Nyra "Calm down and tell me what is going on."

Nyra takes a deep breath as she looks to her 14 year old general "Kludd's missing, Elanore. He's missing and I am so worried and… What if he's been kidnapped? Oh my Glaux…"

Elanore turns her head to the guards as she commands "Get the soldiers to check the grounds, immediately."

Within moments, the whole base is in chaos as everyone is looking for their leader. Nyra remains still stressed out and worried as she too looks around. She and Elanore enter into the courtyard amongst all the chaos, and some even remember to bow as she passes with General Elanore by her side. Then suddenly, the gates make a loud bang noise before opening. Everything pauses as the gates open and an owl is at the gates… _Kludd_.

As Kludd enters, some of the soldiers bow, and Nyra runs up and hugs him tightly. He is a little confused of what is going on, as Nyra looks all worked up and the whole base was in chaos. He hugs back while Nyra is worriedly saying muffles words as she has her head slightly burrowed into him.

"What the hagsmire is going on here?" Kludd asks as he taps Nyra and she looks up while having tears in her eyes

"I was so worried… I woke up and you were gone and I checked around and I got worried and… then I thought that someone kidnapped you or… or… you were arrested by the UKO or… or… even assassinated." Nyra stutters while still a little shaken up

Behind him, Elanore, the fourteen year old who is like Nyra's daughter gives him a look and he gets what it means as he wraps his wings around her as an embrace.

"It's alright, Nyra. I'm fine. I just needed to clear my head since I couldn't really sleep last morning." Kludd consoles as he then looks to Elanore and the attendants "Make some tea, she really needs to calm down."

* * *

As Soren arrives home from his rendezvous with his brother, Kludd, in Tyto Forest, it is night, almost 1am in Ga'Hoole. Soren arrives into the hustle and bustle of City Centre. Students of the GTA changing classes, members of chaws going from place to place, mothers with owlets wandering around and excreta. Soren decides to see what is going on back at home, especially if Autumn has been covering for him, like she said she would when she left.

In the Canner family hollow, Soren's mother, Marella, is knitting a scarf while Eglantine is playing with her toys. Soren then arrives home as his mother calls Eglantine over so she can see if it fits.

"Where have you been, Soren?" Marella, his mother, asks, since she hasn't really seen him all night "Princess Autumn said you were doing chaw duties, but I want an answer from you."

"I had a few things to do." Soren shrugs

"I miss you when you're gone for ages." Eglantine says

Soren places a leaf helm on his little sister's head "Someday you'll be a Guardian too, Eg. Besides, you're going to learn to fly when you get bigger."

"Oh and Soren, Otulissa came by and she asks if you'll be taking her to this "Spring Fling" whatever that is." His mother then mentions

"It's an event that they hold for Middle Year Two students for when they're going to graduate into Senior Year next year. It's held when spring comes around." Soren clarifies before picking up one of Eglantine's dolls and handing it to her

"If you're going to another GTA party, you will be grounded." Noctus, his father, sternly says

"Da, I'm going to come straight home after the formal and after taking Otulissa home. I wouldn't want to go anywhere near those GTA after parties." Soren replies

"Noctus, don't be so hard on him. He is sixteen years old and he is not Kludd." His mother snaps in defence, as she does know that Soren doesn't attend parties with the immature GTA students

"Marella, he's a teenage boy and as far as I know, he's probably going to turn out like his idiot brother who just decided to become a Pure One." His father replies

"He became a Pure One because of you and how you always ignored him! And I would NEVER be a Pure One… Never!" Soren snaps with anger "And I went to that party to apologise to my girlfriend!"

"Stop it right now." Marella then yells to stop the almost fight "I am getting fed up with this. Sure, we may have a problem when it comes to Kludd and what has happened, but opening wounds and comparing our sons to each other isn't what I call a family conversation."

Soren and Noctus stare at Marella shocked, as she usually never is like this, but she has to be the one to mediate these fights since they started six months ago. Ever since they found out the truth, things have been very stressful within the Canner household. They're always in some sort of argument, especially between Noctus and Soren, who often disagree when it comes to the matter of why Kludd became a Pure One and also behaviour and excreta.

"Alright, if I hear this one more time, I am seriously thinking of making you both take an oath of silence around each other." Marella says before she calms down "Please, why can't you both just agree on something."

"Things have changed, especially hiding the secret of the identity of our son being the new Metalbeak." Noctus replies before a tug on his arm turns his attention to Eglantine

"Can you help me with my homework?" Eglantine asks her dad as she holds up her workbook

"Don't think this discussion is over." Noctus says as he turns to Eglantine and takes her little winglet "Alright, what are you stuck on?"

Soren then looks to his mother as his father is helping his younger sister with her homework. Yes, Eglantine attends the primary school here in Ga'Hoole. She is in kindergarten and since being a part of the school, she has made friends with owlets in the tree and is quite a natural when it comes to her reading, writing and sums.

"Sometimes I think you better understand this ordeal, ma." Soren utters

"Trying my best to understand that the Kludd we knew is gone now…" his mother sighs as she gives a worried look to her youngest of their two sons "It takes a while to understand that some things are… well… never going to be the same. Your father will come around, Soren. Give it time…"

"It's been six months, ma. He's just never going to let this go…" Soren says as he looks at a portrait his mother hung on the wall of the family months before Soren and Kludd were branching and fell out of the tree that night _"Someday I hope Kludd will come back… If he did apologise to me… Maybe I can try and get him back to the good side of things…"_

* * *

Back in St. Aegolius, things have settled down after the ordeal that played out earlier in the night. Nyra herself is still a fair bit stirred up over how she thought Kludd was kidnapped, killed or both. Kludd had ordered the attendants to make Nyra some tea. After that, Elanore has been asked to take over duties for a little while, meaning she is in charge for a little bit. Of course, she is also busy with other pressing matters to attend to, party planning.

An attendant of Nyra's pours tea for the High Tyto and the Queen as they take this time to calm down, well, Nyra really has to calm down.

"I don't want to lose you, Kludd…" Nyra says before sipping tea

"I do love your loving side, but… You worry too much." Kludd says as he takes one of her wings and she places down the teacup "Besides, how are preparations going for my birthday celebrations going?"

"It's going well." Nyra replies

Kludd is now turning 18 in a night from now and he is wanting to make it a grand celebration. Of course, he has been having to learn how celebrations in their version of a high society, The Pure One Inner Circle, go and how they behave. And, he has been fitted to wear a cape that does show off his authority and kingliness. He was a little hesitant when it came to dress code, as he always viewed that wearing capes is uncool, but as he has learned and seen, he looks quite good with a cape to go with his helm. Of course, he does want to impress Nyra by acting not like a child anymore, but as a full grown owl and… he has been planning something special for the night, especially as he has been learning ballroom dancing.

"So, what outfit will the illustrious and graceful Nyra of the Pure Ones wear tomorrow night to my party, hmm?" Kludd asks before he too has some tea

"I'm going to surprise you…" the widow queen and girlfriend cheekily replies before a slight laugh "I've gotten a little piece together anyway and it's a surprise."

"Well…" the helmed barn owl says as he gets a little closer to the still widow queen "I think that you look good in whites, blues, not azure, you hate that colour, reds and greys… lace too."

Kludd then kisses Nyra, she is caught a little off guard before kissing back, and her cheeks turn a light shade of red underneath ochre applied to her face lightly masking it from almost being as red as the marking on her brow. They part a moment later and Kludd notices her reddened cheeks, though it really is masked.

"Are you blushing?" Kludd asks as he holds her wing

"You're a good kisser." Nyra utters before a slight giggle

As they continue their kiss, Elanore enters the room and is slightly disturbed of what she sees and is unimpressed of how sappy this moment this is. With a roll of her eyes, she decides to intervene as she has important matters to deal with, more important than watching her surrogate mother and her boyfriend locking beaks.

"I did want to report, but, oh no, I come in and find you two pashing." Elanore grumbles

They then break as they notice the fourteen year old standing there, with a clipboard under her starboard wing, tapping her claw impatiently. Nyra signals with her head that he should get this. Like he understood, he protests with a look before Nyra gives a "really" look. He then sighs as he turns to face the general.

"What is it, Elanore?" Kludd asks with a disgruntled sigh "I really can't have five minutes peace now can i."

"I have a list of problems to address." Elanore says as Kludd groans in disapproval and she gets out her clipboard "Let's see… The replacement window to the one those recruits broke has still not been installed after I have told them countless times to do so. The ballroom hasn't been swept yet after I have ordered the maid to do so as there are remaining streamers everywhere. And then there's…"

"Enough!" Kludd interrupts suddenly as Elanore rummages through her list "Enough. Elanore, please just deal with it. I'll tell off the tradies for not putting in that window. Just, please have things under control and stop complaining to me about it. Dismissed."

Elanore then leaves with a disgruntled look on her face. Kludd then turns to face Nyra again.

"Would you want more tea?" He asks the white barn owl and she nods in reply


	2. Chapter 2: Half-Past Six Am

_6:30am, I may have a system of time zones for the kingdoms, but it is just the same. Nevertheless, this 6:30am is dawn for us humans, the beginning of our day. To owls, the feathery nocturnal creatures, it's the beginning of their "night". Where this chapter starts off is at 6:30am in the morning… the moonrise…_

* * *

Chapter 2: Half-past Six am

The music, performing arts and the arts are something which some are passionate about. GTA students take classes and they often have performances or even art shows in other kingdoms along with other artists, actors and musicians. The main reason the arts remain popular is because of one owl who can sing as good as she can use a sword who had become an ambassador to the arts after she had sung a did a performance upon the celebration of the fact that she wasn't dead and it was an operatic song too. Autumn Rose Kin, Princess of Ambala, was dubbed the Ambassador of the arts by her sister-in-law, Merissa, Queen Dowager of Ambala and Boron, the King of Ga'Hoole. Madame Plonk, the teacher of music elective and pretty much head of the choir, loves to have the small songbird, Autumn, in her class. Princess has a passion for the arts that no one really has and she teaches Drama elective and coordinates the musicals and the choir with Plonk.

Tonight is no different; Madame Plonk has asked Autumn to come into the after-school practice of the music elective for a master class. When the snowy asked the small spotted owl if she would want to attend, Autumn immediately said yes, besides having to move a meeting forward and cancelling a drama class tutoring for one of her students. This is important too; Middle Year Two students in music elective from Star and Fire Master Classes are performing at their formal, otherwise called the Spring Fling, in about a week and a half. They are going to be either singing, like three of the students, or playing their instruments.

"And when it comes to stage performing to your peers, don't be afraid to pick songs that you love to sing or songs that matter or even relate to you somehow." Autumn says as she paces on the stage "Also, Improvisation helps. If you'll look under your music books, I left sheet music for some of you."

They lift up their books and some of them find sheet music to a song.

"What is this for, miss?" One of the students asks

Moments later, Autumn and Madame Plonk are on stage... The instrumentally talented students starting to play the song and two of the best singers around start to sing. Plonk did ask Autumn to sing a song for the students and well… You know Autumn never passes up a chance really and she did choose a song that matters to her a little bit. (**the song they are, mostly Autumn, is singing Change by Little Mix BTW**).

_"She captures her reflection then she throws the mirror to the floor  
Her image is distorted screaming, "Is it worth it anymore?"  
Are you scared of the things that they might put you through?  
Does it make you wanna hide the inner you?_

_You're not the only one so let them criticize,  
You're untouchable when you realize, oh oh oh_

_Change, change your life, take it all  
We're gonna stick together, know we'll get through it all  
Change, change your life, take it all (yeah, take it all)  
You're gonna use it to become what you've always known  
(Become what you've always known)_

_His body starts to flicker like nobody wants to know his name  
Just another soul with feelings but nobody's there to feel the pain  
No, no, no_

_They can rip you, bring you down, down to their size  
But they will never get to the heart you hold inside_

_You're not the only one so let them criticize  
You're untouchable when you realize  
Ooh-oh-oh_

_Change, change your life, take it all (take it all)  
We're gonna stick together, know we'll get through it all (I know we'll get through it all)  
Change, change your life, take it all (yeah, take it all)  
You're gonna use it to become what you've always known (become what you've always known)_

_Change, change your life, take it all  
(Change your life and take it all)  
Change, change your life, take it all  
(Change your life and take it all)_

_You got a right to show the world  
Something never seen  
We wanna hear you scream it out  
You're not alone_

_Change, change your life, take it all (take it all)  
We're gonna stick together, know we'll get through it all (we're invincible)  
Change, change your life, take it all (change your life and take it all)  
You're gonna use it to become what you've always known (become what you've always known)."_

At the end of the song, the students are clapping as they take bows. They are both exhausted from that, but they manage to overcome it, just skill actors and singers learn for stage performances. Autumn then is in awe of the applause, though it only be from students. Whenever she gets on stage and sings, it's like she just leaves her emotions behind unless she can express them in a song. Madame Plonk then notices the time and it is already time for the lesson to end.

"Oh gosh, where has the time gone? Music practice is tomorrow in first and second period as well as fifth." Madame plonk says to her students as the musicians pack up their instruments and sheet music "Antonio, your violin is out of tune, lad. Skye, keep practicing your F sharps on that flute. Cody, please practice with your singing, you hit a foul note when we were playing that talent game earlier. Please thank Miss Autumn for coming in."

"Thank you, Miss Autumn." The students reply

"You're welcome, young'uns. And thank you for having brilliant talents." Autumn laughs

"Class dismissed." Madame Plonk says "See you tomorrow night for practice."

The students clear out of the hall and Madame Plonk is cleaning up the hall a little bit by moving stands out of the way, especially as Autumn has a drama class in here tomorrow and they're working on a play. In addition, Autumn does have her Senior Year music class working on their performances for the Springtime Ball coming up in October.

Autumn sits down for a bit while she fixes her crown. She usually takes it off because it always ends up falling off or getting stuck in her hood at times. Tonight she chose a dark blue cape and sapphire crown, because of the weather being cold. It's a style thing really.

"I missed having you onstage, Autumn." Madame Plonk smiles as she finishes tidying the stage, "You still have that same sweet voice that graced the stage years ago. Sure, that was during a very hard time in your life during that Glaux-awful marriage to the traitor."

"If I weren't busy, I would be on stage more often." Autumn replies, "The arts and books are what are most important to me besides having to be the one who keeps order in the parliament."

The two women laugh as Autumn often is the one who has to play peacekeeper, especially as third in command of the tree now she often has to be the one who interrupts and then mediates. especially for Boron who often ends up wearing his voice out when he has to yell over them whenever they just cannot hear the gavel. Her job may be one where she meets with senators, dignitaries, write letters on behalf of the monarchs, deal with pressing matters and excreta, but she does have to play the peacekeeper in parliament. Mostly, because Boron has seen beforehand that this Princess from Ambala has quelled fights and arguments, and she comes from a kingdom in which their senate ends up getting into brawls.

The doors to the hall open and enters Ezylryb with a scarf wrapped around his neck and dusted in a little snow on his head and shoulders. He gives himself a quick shake before walking up to the stage.

"Oh hello, Ezylryb." Madame Plonk smiles as Autumn then turns around

"Greetings to you, Madame Plonk. Still singing?" Ezylryb quips, returned with a slight laugh from the snowy owl singer as he faces Autumn and kisses her cheek "And bonjour to you, Princesse Autumn de Ambala. Otherwise, my fiancée."

"What are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting or something." Autumn asks

"Not really." Ezylryb shrugs as he reads some of the sheet music next to the small Spotted Owl "I wish I caught your spur-of-the-moment performance though."

"Oh she was as pitch perfect as a tuned viola." Madame Plonk then mentions

"I maybe wasn't that perfect. I was off tune for two notes." Autumn rebuts while acting modest

"You're too modest, Autumn." The Snowy Owl singer and ryb laughs "You were perfect and those students probably learnt a lot from an owl who has anxiety, but can perform onstage without flaw."

"I agree, too modest, but perfect either way." Ezylryb agrees as he fixes Autumn's crown from being lopsided "…Mostly when her crown isn't falling off."

After collecting her things, she thanks Madame Plonk for allowing her to be a part of this lesson, but Plonk thanks her for actually coming to help with teaching the students and getting them motived for performing for their peers in a week and a half's time. Ezylryb and Autumn then leave the hall and reach City Centre when they start talking a little bit.

"So, did you have fun?" Ezylryb asks, like she is a child that just got home from a birthday party

"I'm sure a tactician and diplomat like you, who speaks French when greeting me when I hardly expect it, already knows the answer to that by the smile on my face." Autumn answers before a giggle and she nuzzles him "Maybe you should join my onstage sometime. You have sung to me twice and you plan to keep this talent secret?"

"I don't really want to, Princess." He simply says, trying not to end up copping that owlet look from his fiancée and girlfriend of 8 years. She had a growth deformity, possibly from birth and she stopped growing young. She may have flowered into a woman during her adolescence, but she is petite, but very beautiful.

"I understand." She sighs before a wing is wrapped around her and she turns her head again, "I just… I…"

They stop in their tracks for a moment, Ezylryb faces her, and she turns her head a little "You know you can tell me anything, Rose…" He then turns her face so her brown eyes are facing towards him "…I know that it's been a year since all that chaos happened, but, remember, I will never treat you the way you were treated by that traitor. I know you are shy about your opinion at times, but you can say anything."

"It has been a year since that marriage was annulled and six months later…" Autumn quietly mutters with a saddened look in her beautiful brown eyes upon remembering before she places her head on Ezylryb's chest, "…Those years, Lyze… Those years were torture without harm…"

"My princess… For all the love I can give you, freedom is what I'll never take from you when we finally marry." Ezylryb replies before pulling down her hood and kissing the top of her head "Aaron and Allomere can rot in Hagsmire for what they did to you… For _everything_ they did to you…"

Just for a moment, before even Autumn's busy schedule tears them apart for hours, they just have a cuddle for a little bit… It has been a year since Aaron, the tyrant King of Ambala, Autumn's elder brother, Merissa's husband and Sabyna's father, was killed by the Pure Ones… the reason, Allomere wanted the Ambala throne and used Autumn to try and get it. He would have killed her in the end just because of her refusal and that she wanted annulment. It was 11 years ago now, Autumn being 27 years of age now, that she was married off only because of her brother trying to get rid of her. She ended up wed to the traitor who made her life hell enough since he wanted to take other Ambala and tried to take the throne from her.

A royal guard then is standing there and Ezylryb signals Autumn silently. She then fixes her hood while feeling a little disappointed for one of the king's guards to end up coming to ruin the moment. Of course, there are these times when these things happen, and not just to two of the tree's dignitaries. Even the monarchs suffer the interruptions and the buzz-kills from time to time. Autumn will honestly want to slap Boron for this.

"My lady, King Boron wishes to see you." The guard says with a swift bow

Autumn turns back to Ezylryb "It's about the talks as my sister-in-law wants to discuss relations between the kingdoms." She then kisses his cheek "I am sorry, I have to attend to this."

"I understand. You have your duties to your kingdom as I have duties towards this one likewise." He then replies as he strokes her face, "I guess I'll see you later, my dear."

She smiles softly as she gives the "I'll allow it" look and they passionately kiss before Autumn walks away while her cheeks turn a soft shade of red and she places a wing on her beak and closes her eyes. She then has to be escorted to the palace for discussions with the king, especially on the behalf of her sister-in-law who is back in her homeland, Ambala.

* * *

In the Great Library of Ga'Hoole, scholarly Guardian Training Academy student, Otulissa Perrin, is browsing the archives as she looks for a book to help with some research for her homework. Her perfectionist and otherwise intuitive ways about her study is why she remains top of the Fire Master Class in Middle Year Two. She has left her satchel and her open workbook with a quill resting on top of the pages, ready to write with for when she takes notes down for her homework.

Watching her from behind a bookshelf is the boyfriend of this intellectual Guardian-in-Training is her boyfriend and already full-fledged Guardian, irregardless of his age, named Soren. He has a bouquet of flowers in his claw as an apology. He has been a little distant as of late, especially as Otulissa is going to have one last term in a few weeks before her Senior Year starts in January next year and he knows she is stressed when it comes to exams and assignments. He has to prepare himself for what she will do, as he will expect her to be mad with him or something like that and will end up lecturing him.

Nervously, he approaches her before she turns around on her heel with a book in her claw like she had heard him.

"I hate it when you go off the blink…" Otulissa mutters as she places her book under her wing

"I'm sorry…" Soren replies as he holds up the flowers "I got you some flowers."

The studious female takes the flowers from him as she looks at them "Tell me If you're going to go off the blink for a few nights."

"I'm going to be your date to the formal, though dad was bitching about it. Only because of _the incident_ months ago." He then mentions

"There are just some party poopers, Soren. You never know…" Otulissa replies as she places her book on the desk and sits in front of her books

"Yeah…" Soren agrees as he sits next to her "What are you doing this morning?"

"Just studying and doing homework. Nothing major." She replies as she takes notes

"Would you want to go to dinner or something?" He asks as he reads over her notes, well, trying to as she writes with a very formal calligraphy.

"I'm fine." She replies before tilting her head "I'm just going to study for a little while."

"Oh…" Soren mutters, "I guess I'll see you later then."

Soren kisses her cheek as she then keeps working on her homework. She wants to get into Moon Master Class for her last year of training and for that year… she wants to make sure she is going to graduate top of the class. Even if it looks like they're a little distant, Soren and Otulissa can act all couple-like when they want to. However, for teens their age, it is either grades or boys… You can tell what she chose…

* * *

In St. Aegolius, in her bedchamber, Nyra has a headpiece in her claw and a needle in another as she is mending it. She is sewing gemstones onto this headpiece, sewing white and red gemstones onto the front of the headpiece. Sitting beside her, handing her the gemstones and holding the veil at the back of it, Elanore is helping with the project she has taken on. She has an idea as to when Nyra wore this piece, but she wonders if it will be rude to ask her. She knows she wore it eight years ago, but to what?

"Why did you decide to mend this headdress now?" Elanore asks

"I have strong feelings, Elanore." Nyra replies as she sews a gem onto it where she marked it to go

"Have you been thinking of the past again?" The fourteen-year-old general asks as she hands a gem, that is the same colour red as the brow marking she has, which is a lot like Nyra's marking.

Nyra sighs "I remember when I wore this… Elanore, you would have only been six years old when I got married to Surtr."

_"So that's what his name was…"_ Elanore mutters before speaking up "Why are you mending this now?"

"I might need it again; I don't know when, but I'll need it." The white barn owl replies before sewing a large ruby in the centre

"Did Kludd propose?" Elanore asks

"He might be waiting until he is actually 18." Nyra says before she pats the younger Barn Owl on her head "You're my one true friend and a daughter if better. I just might make a headdress for you to wear."

Elanore smiles "I would appreciate such a gift…"

"I may always be a hardass with commands and making you do my chores because I had to make you my personal assistant, but I couldn't have a better general, surrogate daughter and bestie even if I asked for it." Nyra smiles back before she picks up a red fabric "Red suits you. Red and black suits your chocolate brown feathers."

The fourteen-year-old general smiles as she continues to hold the veil and then rethreads the needle for Nyra, as it is said from the while Barn Owl queen that she is terrible to do these things and that Elanore has nimble claws. Elanore has been in the Pure Ones for five years now. She was a weakling of a nine-year-old girl they kidnapped from Rosewood, during an assassination attempt on Sienne Daube and her niece, Bryony. Metalbeak wanted to get rid of her, which was before Nyra took her under her wing as an apprentice. Metalbeak grown fond of her only after she was on fast track to becoming general and earning his trust, of course she supposedly killed Autumn Rose Kin too, but that's not the point. He often thought of her as a daughter, just like Nyra does, mostly because they never had children.

Nyra looks in on Elanore after she goes to bed like a mother their owlet. She then closes the door and heads back to her room, where she gets out wire and fabric. Nyra eyes a portrait that she keeps on her dressing table near the mirror and she looks upon it sadly… The last time she wore the headdress she was fixing was for her wedding to her beloved, and now dead, husband. If anything, she has an outfit ready for this evening… as tonight is the coming of age celebration for her boyfriend, Kludd…


	3. Chapter 3: A King Comes of Age

Chapter 3: A King comes of Age

Kludd is in bed pacing around his room very early in the evening. Not even the sun has set over the canyon lands in which their base lies. On his bed lie a scroll, one that was sent from all the way from the Ga'Hoole Tree to here. Kludd can tell who sent this… Someone he thought he would never talk to again before his daymares told him to and to mend broken bonds. He continues to pace, trying to muster all of the courage he could get just to read this letter from his brother. If anything, he's probably the only one of the family who doesn't hate him, well… besides Eglantine, who is too young to understand anything.

Kludd backs into a wall and exerts a long exhale "It is not dreams that haunt me… It is written words by the claw of an owl who is of blood."

Six months ago, he write a scroll when his dreams haunted his mind and rocked him to his core… The haunting daymare where he saw Nyra, a woman who may be eight years his senior, he adores with all of his heart. To see her bloody, bruised, her die in his wings… He couldn't take it anymore. It took him six months to get the courage to send it… as he continued to be haunted and he couldn't take that anymore either. It was after having that forgiveness… the dreams stopped. Now, staring before a reply of a scroll, he cannot find the courage to read it.

"Read the scroll, Kludd…" The barn owl growls to himself as he gets up, taking deep breaths and approaching the scroll "Read the sprinking scroll, you son of a bitch."

He then wants to back away from reading what his brother wrote in the scroll, but he can't. He then takes another breath as he picks up the scroll and unravels it. Kludd closes his eyes, feeling like all he will hear is bad things and the many hateful words within the list of profanities. He then decides to open his eyes… Who knew that a piece of paper would get the Lord High Tyto of the Pure Ones all worked up?

_"To Kludd… My elder brother…_

_It's going to be your birthday sooner or later. You're going to be an adult now… Me, I'm only 16 now. It seems we're all getting older. Eg's going to be six soon, and she's going to school. She's even learning to read. Maybe someday she'll read me one of the legends someday soon._

_Home isn't as good since the truth came out. It's been six months and now that it's your birthday… I can tell that it's going to be a hard night for ma. You know, ma was upset for a long while since I told her and da the truth. She cried and cried and I didn't know how hard it is on her. Now, I would guess she has stopped crying and accepted the truth. As for da… well, his attitude hasn't changed. He is often… I don't know. He's being a negative jerk… He hasn't gotten over what happened. Sure, I snuck out, but I had to apologise to my girlfriend. I told you about her, remember. Her name's Otulissa. She seems too sophisticated at times, but she's a sweet girl. You told me Nyra's a lot like that. Well, I can't really pass judgement on her..._

_Well… I have to go, I have to get to bed. You know, I'm a Guardian now and… I guess you're a Pure One._

_I just want to say, happy birthday big brother. You know, I remember a few of the birthdays… It was the one day where it was all about you. I never knew until now that you hated being forced into my shadow and… I guess that a birthday is a special day that they take notice…_

_Well, I guess this is bye…_

_We love you, Kludd. Maybe someday you will realise this and come back to us…_

_From Soren."_

Silence… Silence in Kludd's mind, within the room and within the whole base. Those last words are powerful, they mean nothing to him, but within his heart, it begs to differ. He tries to drown out the strong emotions for his family, especially when thinking of those he cares about and… his little sister, Eglantine. He then drowns it out while tears flow from his eyes. A knock comes to the door, Kludd throws aside the scroll amongst other books and wipes his eyes. The way he masks anything is by placing on his helm. Kludd does wonder who would be up at this hour, besides those who would be preparing for his birthday celebrations.

"General Elanore is here to see you." The guard outside the door says

"Oh, of course, send her in." Kludd replies as he then hides the scroll and picks up a book on Inner Circle etiquette

The door opens and the fourteen-year-old Pure One General, Elanore enters with a clipboard under her wing and she has her burgundy cape draped over her shoulders "I didn't think you were up at this time. You wanted to see me?"

Kludd has a mental blank for a moment before realising that he sent for them to fetch Elanore, who is acting as the party planner, since she knows everything that has to do with formal galas and celebrations within the Pure One Inner Circle. Some may think she knows all too much about etiquette and manors, even as a teenager from Rosewood Community in Tyto Forest, but being a higher member, especially in the Inner Circle means that you have to act with some manners. Kludd then reminds himself when he remembers what today is…

"Oh, Elanore, thank goodness you came. I want things to run smoothly tonight for my birthday party. Besides, I want things to be memorable for both me as it is my coming of age of course, but to the guests and… to Nyra." Kludd addresses as he paces for a bit before stopping and turning his head "You got that?"

"Of course, it isn't every night I am planning an 18th birthday party for the Lord High Tyto of the Pure Ones. I will ensure this event will run smoothly and hope that it will be memorable." Elanore replies with a nod of her head

"Alright, dismissed." Kludd then says

Elanore leaves the room a moment later and before taking off down the hall, she sees what else she has to do and then writes something before walking off to the ballroom. Back in the room, Kludd looks as to what time it is… 7:13pm… It's still pretty early and the celebrations start at midnight and end well… whenever it does end. Moreover, let's just hope that there won't be anyone with a hangover tomorrow night. The last celebration they had was to mourn the loss of Metalbeak. –At least it's a birthday and it's more of a celebration, less of a… well, wake.

Kludd then exits the room and his guards follow close behind as he walks down the corridor. At first, Kludd found the security detail, especially then following him around kind of creepy, along with the servants and etcetera, but then he found that they could be of some use. He often asks them to fetch him anything or anyone. Then came when he started reading the etiquette books and found out that most of his behaviour was fairly unprofessional. He committed himself to trying to impress Nyra by being professional… well, that did work a bit.

He then comes to the door to Nyra's bedchamber and the door is opened for him. Immediately the ladies-in-waiting curtsey and Nyra is awake and having breakfast. She is distracted for a moment before one of her attendants tap her on her shoulder.

"Oh, Kludd. Happy birthday." Nyra smiles while feeling a little awkward that he's here

"Thanks, Nyra." Kludd replies as he kisses her wing "How are you this evening?"

"I am fine." She replies before she asks "Kludd, are you ok? You seem a little off-sorts."

"I didn't get much sleep last night." He shrugs and stretches his wings "Don't worry, it wasn't another daymare. I haven't had them for a week so far."

"That is good. I get worried about you when you have those daymares." She says with a little worry as she thinks of those nights where he'd get all worked up when he wakes up and he never even discusses it with her

"Well… I can't really hang around. I have things to do before later. You know, royal duties, getting ready. That sort of stuff." Kludd says before kissing Nyra's cheek "I'll see you at the party, your grace."

"Ok, I'll see you later, my lord." Nyra replies, using the same formality before getting up and curtseying with the attendants as Kludd leaves the room.

* * *

As the night begins in Ga'Hoole, in the hollow of the Canner family, it's a bright and early start for young Eglantine as Mrs P., the nest maid snake of the family, is helping her get ready for school by getting her up and helping her with her schoolbooks. All the while in the parent's bedroom, Noctus and Marella know what night tonight is… Kludd's birthday.

It is strange... First, they thought Kludd was dead, even Soren did, but months ago, Soren discovered that his brother was alive and he became a new persona… known to all of the Guardians as Metalbeak, merely a newer version of their once feared enemy who perished because of a flaming stick jabbed into his chest 8 and a half months ago. And since that fateful night, when Soren dropped the bombshell on accident, Noctus and Marella now know that their eldest son is alive… but now he is a lord of all evil.

And now, that their son is alive and it is his eighteenth birthday, the night he comes of age, the parents, Noctus and Marella feel upset that they cannot celebrate this special day with their son. In Marella's mind, although Kludd may be evil, he is still her firstborn and she is especially upset since she wanted to see the day her hatchling son would become an owl. She holds a portrait of Kludd in her claw of him when he was a little owlet and memories just come flooding back.

"He was so little, so… good back then." Marella sighs as a tear falls from her eye

"And look at him now. He's a cold-hearted bastard who tried to do regicide on the Princess of Ambala and also kill his own brother." Noctus says, with little empathy

"He may have done bad things… but he is still our son." She snaps with a turn of her head, before calming back down "I wish that we could have celebrated this big night with him… We celebrated Soren's 16th months ago, but we can't celebrate our eldest son's coming of age."

"Fate works in mysterious ways, Marella. It just so happens that Kludd had darkness in his soul as much as Mordecai, the demon." He replies while eyeing Kludd's expression in the family portrait, shooting a sharp glare at Soren

"Do not compare our son to the God of Darkness…" Marella snaps

Marella has enough and with an agitated exhale, she leaves the bedroom and enters Eglantine's room, where she is getting dressed for school. The young owlet wearing a light yellow scarf with white and a matching cape as her uniform for school, with a special pin for the scarf. Whenever Marella sees her little daughter wear the uniform for the Ga'Hoole Primary School, she is immediately proud and she knows her daughter will for fill a dream the owlet and her elder brother, Soren, dreamt of since they heard the legends for the first time, to become Guardians.

"It's another day of school, Eglantine." Marella cheerfully says to her daughter

"Is it Kludd's birthday?" Eglantine abruptly asks out of the blue

The mother owl sighs just from hearing the name of the oldest from the youngest of her children, one who is too young to understand "Yes… Yes, it is."

"He may be bad, but… I miss him." The barn owlet says with a pout

"We all miss him, dear. We all miss Kludd." Mrs P says to the young owlet as she fixes any creases in the cape

Marella kisses her daughter's head as she fixes the scarf and places the special silver pin with the school emblem on it in the centre of the scarf. Wearing pinned scarfs seems to be the normal thing, as it stops your scarf falling off when in flight or falling off in general.

"Soren." Marella calls as she helps Mrs P. help put the cape on the barn owlet. She then takes off down the hallway when she hears no answer "Soren!"

The mother then enters the room of her teenage son and he is still asleep, much to the distain. Soren is a Guardian now and if anything, he shouldn't be so lazy, but with the schedule of a full-fledged Guardian, being the envy of the GTA students, they do have a quite relaxed schedule if they are only within their first year since graduating the Guardian Training Academy.

"Soren, get up." Marella says to her son

"Ma!" Soren crankily groans "I don't have anything to do until midnight. Let me sleep in!"

"Soren, do me a favour and take Eglantine to school. I have too much to do tonight." The mother replies as she pokes her on, in attempt to wake him up

"What? All you do is have tea with the ladies and drawl on and on about your home lives and whatever else women in their mid-thirties talk about." Soren complains "Why do I have to take Eg to school when you, Da or Mrs P can?"

"Because I told you to." Marella replies with a self-satisfied smirk like she's mother of the year, and throws him a scarf just for the sake of it since it is still winter, landing on the teenage barn owl's head as he wakes up "And I want you up at a reasonable time."

Within moments, Soren is wrapped in a mint-green scarf and he is walking his younger sister to school though City Centre. It's fairly quiet between the elder brother and his younger sister, Eglantine walking along with her small satchel of books over her shoulder and Soren just watching his little sister. If he were a GTA student, he would have reason to be walking past a school, to be attending it, but as he is not, he is actually walking his little sister to school and she might someday be a Guardian.

"What are you learning, Eg?" Soren asks his younger sister

"Well, we're learning reading and writing and a lot of things. Yesterday, they taught us about constellations." Eglantine answers

"Hmm… Maybe someday you'll read one of the legends to me, eh, Eg?" Soren quips, making his younger sister laugh

The bell rings and Eglantine runs off to join the other little boys and girls attending the school. Soren watches as his younger sister gathers with other kindergarten students outside the classroom in two lines before they enter. As far as he knows, the primary school students are the only ones who line up before entering the classroom, the GTA students couldn't care less sometimes about proper behaviour. It just shows how behaviour changes from the leap from primary school to the GTA.

He hears giggling and sees Princess Autumn, a close friend of his whose life he saved back in Rosewood months ago and also the fiancée of his mentor, Ezylryb. She is speaking with some owlets, and it is surprising to see how small she is when you see owlets who are almost as big as her who are in the older years of primary school. She then tells them to go to class, as she definitely needs to get to her classes to teach them sooner or later herself. While she fixes her crown, which is hidden under a purple-coloured cape with white fuzz around the hood, Soren approaches her to say a friendly hello.

"Hi, Princess. What are you up to?" Soren asks the small spotted owl

"I often walk owlets, whose mothers I know, to school before heading to the GTA." Autumn replies before sensing something is amiss and tilts her head slightly "Is there something the matter, young Soren?"

"I wrote a scroll noon last afternoon to Kludd. It's his birthday tonight. He's 18 now." He replies

"I see." She replies as they then are walking away from the primary school yard and back into City Centre.

"I had a strange dream last morning, your grace." Soren then mentions

"How strange?" Autumn asks

"Well, I saw Kludd, my brother, holding a bloodied blade… Like he killed someone. And… He was here, in Ga'Hoole." The barn owl says while trying to remember what he saw "What is that classified as?"

"Well…" The small spotted owl muses as she continues to think as to what the answer is "I guess I see it's a stress daymare. I'm not actually sure, as I myself have a fair few dreams like that."

"Do you ever dream about Aaron, your brother, in this sort of sense, looking like he just killed an owl? Looking like he'd kill you?" Soren asks

"On occasion, yes." Autumn answers, while saving face

The GTA bell rings and bright-faced, some tired too, students forward into their classrooms to begin the school day, carrying books in their bags and chatting about the many topics including gossip, parties, who is dating who and who is doing what. Autumn's students, though being a lower class, are already forwarding in and not loitering around just waiting to get scolded by their ryb for not being ready for class.

"Well, I have to go, lad." Autumn says as she eyes the last of her students entering the classroom

"Well, you're a ryb after all. I shouldn't keep you from your classes to teach." Soren then says with some respect intended towards a ryb of the tree and their duties.

"I'll see you later, Soren." Autumn says as she stands at the door of her classroom "Have a good night." And then she enters the classroom.

"You too." Soren replies before a yawn _"I think I might go back to bed."_

* * *

Midnight comes and in the ballroom, music plays and chatter is exchanged. Kludd is wandering around while waiting for Nyra and Elanore to arrive, especially Nyra as he wants to tell her something important. He also is a little impatient to see what she is wearing, as she keeps saying that she is going wow him. Kludd himself is wearing a scarlet formal cape and he just decided no fuss needed with what he is going to wear to his own birthday ball. –Something he didn't actually agree on, but as it is said, it is a tradition within the Inner Circle.

"Lady Elanore Camille of Rosewood Tyto, General of the Pure Ones." One of the guard announce

The doors to the ballroom open and the fourteen year old Pure One General, Elanore, enters the room and they all stare at her outfit she chose, a scarlet cape with black detail and white feathers around the collar. Topped off with a silver and ruby on scarlet fabric headpiece that Nyra finished the night before, the whole outfit showing her markings off well. Elanore then comes down the small flight of stairs and Kludd comes up to her.

"You look rather nice, Brix." Kludd complements the teenage girl

"Oh please, you'll be more surprised when you see Nyra." Elanore replies

"When is she coming in?" He asks

"In a moment." Elanore replies as she nods her head in respect and walks off

Outside the ballroom Nyra's attendants are fixing her cape before they and the Pure One Queen will enter the room in a grand entrance. Of course, it seems a little over the top, but Kludd insisted, as he is trying to make this a night to remember for everyone. Kludd then stands by the steps and then signals for them to make her come in.

"Presenting her pureness, Queen Nyra of the Pure Ones." the guards at the door announce

The doors open and behind it is the Barn Owl as white as snow, supporting an outfit that immediately wows Kludd. Nyra had said, along with Elanore, that he would be surprised. Well, that came true indeed. Nyra stands at the top of the stairs wearing a white and grey lace cape with grey hem and collar, topped off with a silver crown with an opal in the centre.

"Where has the Queen of the Pure Ones gone?" Kludd quips as she walks down the three stairs

Nyra laughs "I wanted to look nice. Elanore may be dressing up for the occasion, so I decided to also."

Kludd takes note of the music playing before he takes Nyra's wing "Do you want to dance? I know I suck at ballroom dancing, but I'll give it another go."

"Sure." The white barn owl smiles "Besides, it doesn't really matter if you aren't good at it or not."

Usually, Kludd would never want to be caught dead going any of this stupid stuff, but since becoming High Tyto of the Pure Ones, he has found that this is how he should behave. That is if he wants to impress Nyra and not make out that he is an arrogant fool who couldn't be trusted with a book nevertheless a kingdom. Among the many things he has learnt from reading the books, the only thing Kludd seems to have trouble with is ballroom dancing. Elanore has tried teaching him a simple waltz or something, but he reckons he has two left claws. Feeling a little nervous about his failures in learning, Kludd escorts Nyra into the centre of the ballroom and they start dancing. -Kludd hoping he won't tread on her cape and ruin it.

"You know, adjusting to this Inner Circle stuff is really hard…" Kludd then mentions before twirling the graceful female, "You seem to be perfect at this sort of thing."

"I was born an aristocrat in the strict order." Nyra explains, "I left before becoming a debutante just to end up a Pure One. A decision never regretted by anyone."

"Well, compared to me, you have better behaviour by a long shot. Hagsmire, I don't even know the basics, nevertheless ballroom dancing." The charred complexion Barn owl says

The snow white female laughs, "You're doing fine to me."

"That is why I love you, Nyra. You're the only woman I know who doesn't care how bad I may stuff up at times just because all of this sprinking high society stuff." Kludd says as he dips Nyra and her face turns a little red from embarrassment

"I don't know what to say in reply, really… Um…" Nyra says, a little speechless

Kludd laughs as he then allows Nyra to be upright again before taking her wings. Elanore notices this and in her experiences, though most are of wartime situations, she knows what the now 18 year old will do. She sorta guessed it when she was helping Nyra mend the headpiece. She then tells the musicians to stop playing when Kludd gives her a signal. The room then goes dead silent, in the exceptions of some whispers.

"Nyra. The first time I saw you, addressing both me and those owls in the courtyard, I immediately was blown away by you. The only reason I ended up coming back to these halls after the fight, burnt and a wing broken, was for you, Nyra. To see if you were alive." Kludd says as he continues to hold her wings

"Kludd…" Nyra merely says as she starts blushing

"I became the king for you, because you needed someone to take care of you and I couldn't stand seeing you so sad. I never knew that I would move on from having a petty crush to actually falling in love with the real Nyra, a beautiful, loving and caring owl who may have her flaws, but she is still perfect." He continues while staring into Nyra's blue eyes

The white Barn Owl laughs a little as she still has red cheeks "Enough with the flattering… My face hurts a bit…"

"I have something to ask you and now that I am now 18, I can." Kludd then says

Nyra gasps and places a wing over her beak "You mean…"

"Nyra Anisette, will you be my mate?" Kludd asks as he continues to hold her wings

The white Barn Owl immediately starts tearing up and as the silence continues, some are starting to get worried that she will reject.

"I will… Oh hagsmire, I will be your wife." Nyra replies as she burrows her head into Kludd's chest and cries tears of joy.

A round of applause then comes from the others in the room while Kludd wraps his wing around the joyfully crying white Barn Owl, who now is his wife-to-be, and pats her on the back. The music then begins again and Nyra when wipes her eyes and she is lead onto the dance floor for another dance, this time a little slower and Nyra rests her head on Kludd's chest. –This night is going to be one among many to remember; like Kludd had wanted for it to be.


	4. Chapter 4: Pettit's Coup of Rosewood

Chapter 4: Pettit's Coup of Rosewood

Four months that has passed since being Resistance Leader of the Tyto Resistance and of the Rosewood Community. Four months of recruitment, reforms, and of the Tyto Forest Senator for the United Kingdoms of Owl, Senator Sienne Daube, has been in charge as Madame Commander of the resistance. For one owl, it has been four months of probation, of isolation… Hiding away in his hollow so the ridicules of the denizens of the Resistance Community of Rosewood do not reach him to call him names and blame him for the Pure One attack. Four months have passed by, and within this probation and otherwise isolation… _He_ has returned.

To have lost touch with his true self, becoming a coward and becoming full of unnecessary arrogance is a true sin against his beliefs that were perceived because of the ever-ongoing war that the Tyto Resistance have against the Tytonic Union of Pure Ones. His alias forever became the Traitor of Rosewood, and that Pure Ones, Guardians and the Rosewood denizens alike want to see him executed for his crimes of treason and, In the case of the Guardian's hatred for him, for crimes against the kingdoms. Why did he become a coward this owl who is perceived as both a militant and supporter of Tyto and Pure One Supremacy?

A return to his former grace is to become and on a night in which a storm is brewing. Hidden in his hollow, he takes out what he hid away the night he became a coward, things he thought he never would look upon ever again because of the torment of _her_ revenge to be expected. On the walls of his hollow, there hang articles of what he has been up to the last year and a half… About the coup he lead, about running the resistance into the ground, about the attack and how he coward out and about his probation from command.

Two swords, swords of some sort of metal are armed as well as a dagger. Around his head, a piece of fabric as a headband and on his face, ochre war paint is marked. As the storm continues to brew, in the midst of such an owl returning to his former glory of such darkness and evil, the Eastern Grass Owl comes to a window, facing the Tyto Resistance base.

"This is the resistance…" Ramaxon Pettit, the Traitor of Rosewood utters while looking upon the base "…_my_ resistance."

As the rain starts to fall on Rosewood, sheltered from the rain with a cup of tea in her claw and a scroll on her desk written by her friend from childhood written with calligraphy and in the French language, Sienne, the current leader or Madame Commander of the Tyto Resistance is in content. Four months ago, they were in the middle of a crisis, which involved the Pure Ones. Since Ramaxon was put on probation, Sienne was able to get Tyto Resistance from what was in jeopardy, unable to even protect even themselves, back to it actually being able to protect The Forest Kingdom of Tyto, as they had become to do.

In her downtime she has right as this moment, she is reading a scroll. For you see, Sienne has been friends with Autumn Rose Kin, the Princess of Ambala, since they were owlets in their schooldays. They always stay in contact by letters, often written in French. Even if they are fluent in English, they both just seem to prefer this language when writing to each other.

Sienne laughs, "Oh you are definitely a bridezilla, my dear Autumn. Seven months to go and already a bridezilla."

Sienne then picks up her quill and inks it as she then starts writing the reply. Even before she writes the first letter, a rock is  
thrown at her window, shattering the fragile glass as it lands on the floor. The senator then gets up from her desk and walks over to the window, avoiding the glass and eyes a sight she would not like to see. She then looks to her calendar and the date she has dreaded has now come. The end of Ramaxon's probation is tonight! How could four months fly by so fast? She then takes out her swords and a pellet made of the same powder as ochre and leaves her office.

Down in the courtyard, as the cold, cold rain is now falling, making puddles on the ground and dampening feathers, and the thunder roaring and the lightening lighting up the sky like the moon and stars that would usually grace the sky, Ramaxon stands with sheer malice and the resistance owls who are also about are looking at him funny. Four months ago, Sienne probated him and in his isolation… he came to a realisation and his former self came back. Usually his hatred would be for Bryony, but this time, her Aunt Sienne who he despises nowadays.

"Where is this so-called Madame Commander?" Ramaxon growls with sheer anger

"What do you want, Ramaxon." Sienne asks as she then exits the base "There is an arrest warrant in my office from the UKO with your name on it. Don't make me use it."

"Sienne, this is my resistance and I don't intend on having a mere woman, nevertheless the aunt of my worst enemy and rival, Bryony Daube, taking it over." Ramaxon then yells as he stands his ground "If you want me arrested, then fight me, one on one."

The Senator then takes out her swords and takes stance, "Agreed."

As the rain continues to pour down and many a few owls baring witness from surrounding hollows in the trees and within the courtyard, The Traitor of Rosewood and their respectable UKO Senator go to battle. Ramaxon makes the first strike, one of his swords met with a block from Sienne before she strikes with her second sword, only to be met with a parry. The senator herself evading two attacks before meeting the third with her swords in a block and she has him distracted before hitting him in the chest and she throws her sword in the air as she kicks him in the head and chest, before catching it. Ramaxon drops to the ground disarmed. It appears that Senator Sienne is winning, and as she then begins to then pin him, he then lunges with his dagger in his grip, slashing her across her chest. A loud cry comes from the owl as she drops to the ground in pain.

"You see, you all see! I am the true leader of this resistance." Ramaxon shouts to the owls who would bear witness before turning to Sienne, who is bleeding out and in sheer pain "Sienne Daube, you are exiled from Rosewood by orders of me, the commander of Tyto Resistance!"

With all the strength she can muster, she throws the powder pellet, sending a cloud of power in the air and clouding the vision of Ramaxon. Some loyal to Sienne siese the chance to assist her, as well as get out while they can and they place her in a basket and take a medical kit. The cloud then dissolves and Sienne is gone. Leaving only a little blood behind.

* * *

Over the border in The Beaks, far away from Rosewood as they can so far, they are in the middle of the valley known as Shadow Pass. The rain subsided as soon as they left and it has been a rough flight full of panic and worry. Since they are taking rest here, just as the name suggests, it is dark, hence they have a fire lit. Three loyal to Senator Sienne, those who have gotten her out of the Rosewood Community, who are also her guards, have managed to stop the bleeding and bandage the wound, which it's self isn't deep enough to cause damage, but she lost a fair bit of blood. Lost, running out of ideas and with the senator nearing death by the hours from the wound and all the blood she has lost, it is quite stressful now.

"What do we do?" One member, a Barn Owl asks as he paces about "Oh Glaux, she's going to die if we don't do something."

"We should take her to Ga'Hoole. It is only an hour and a half away from here." The second member, a Spotted Owl suggests as she is still tending to the senator

"Yeah and then what? Ramaxon will just find her anyway and will kill her either way." The third member, a Masked Owl then rebuts while perching nearby on lookout

"She is going to die if we don't get her proper medical attention. She is fading fast and we cannot afford to lose her." the Spotted Owl female then snaps

"If I die…" Sienne weakly breathes "Tell my niece… Tell Bryony to avenge me. Tell her to kill Ramaxon…"

"She is getting worse… I think that going to Ga'Hoole is the only chance she has of living." The barn owl male then says

Within moments, after giving Sienne a drink of water and checking her bandages, they then leave Shadow Pass. They hope and pray that they will be able to live until they reach the Great Tree…

* * *

Back in Rosewood, Ramaxon then is in his office relaxing and contemplating thought as to what he has to do next. He has the bloodstained dagger hanging on the wall like some trophy and his swords by his side. He then picks up a scroll and takes out a quill and starts writing.

_"To:_

_ Lord Kludd Canner, High Tyto of the Pure Ones_

Queen Nyra Anisette (née Purudyn), Widow Queen of the Pure Ones

_Greetings and salutations to milord and milady,_

_Last time I ever wanted to suggest an alliance, you rejected as I was a cowardly traitor. Well, I can tell you both now that I am back to both my post and back to being who I am. I have overthrown the Madame Commander and otherwise usurper named Sienne Daube and I insist on having talks of an alliance. To both milady and milord, I say that I have total control of the resistance and by the looks of it; you do need a stronger army. For you see, we may have small numbers, but we are mighty fighters._

_I expect an answer soon._

_Ramaxon Pettit  
Commander of Tyto Resistance"_

After signing the scroll, he places the quill back in the inkwell before eyeing something under it and moving it to find something that he would detest to see. He has not been in his office for many months and now he finds a portrait of him and Bryony underneath his inkwell. Did someone plant this or something? Ramaxon then chuckles darkly as he continues to look at it.

"You always had that look on your pathetic face. A look of hope when all was yet lost; that stupid smile upon your stupid face. You were to oblivious to notice that I was plotting your downfall as well as the downfall of this damn kingdom to Pure One Rule. Hide out wherever you wish; someday you will have to stop running." Ramaxon yells

He then exits into the courtyard as he then stands near a touch, throwing the piece of paper into it and he watches as it burns. The picture being enveloped in flames, erasing the picture forever and turning it into nothing but ash and the reddish glow of flames are reflected into the cold, cold eyes of the Traitor of Rosewood.

* * *

Within the Palace Hollows, in the Royal Study, two monarchs have come together to talk, and with a dignifying backdrop of walls are lined with shelves of books, maps, and hanging on a wall is a drawing that Barran refuses to take down that their son, Josh, drew when he was young of the family. Royal Guards are sitting outside the windows and the door, to protect the two leaders during the first of what would be a few discussions. In every so often, King Boron of Ga'Hoole and Queen Dowager Merissa of Ambala come together to have high level talks, especially regarding the alliance between their two kingdoms.

Treaties, deals and politics aside, they do have some informal chatting going on. Especially as the months draw closer and closer to a special event that is to be held in April next year and that is somewhat why they do have a strong alliance.

"Ambala and Ga'Hoole are forever in alliance besides having a treaty between our kingdoms." Merissa brings up after talking about a new trade agreement

"What else for?" Boron asks, a little clueless as to what his counterpart means

"My sister in law is very happy here and to be wed to a special owl. One of your commanders he is." Merissa clarifies with a nod of her head

"Ah, I see. Well, Madame, I actually do call it a Princess and a War Hero." The Ga'Hoolian King then says

"I never did see that my sister in law would end up with the warrior legend, Lyze of Kiel." The Ambalan Queen says with a giggle and a shrug "Oh well, when in Ga'Hoole."

As Boron and Merissa laugh as messenger then enters and bows before whispering into the King of Ga'Hoole's ear. Boron nods in understanding before a having a slightly perturbed look on his face. Merissa tilts her head slightly sideward, trying to interpret what is going on.

"I am sorry, Madame. I do have to leave now. An important matter has come up." Boron says

"I understand fully." Merissa replies with understanding

Boron bows and kisses the wing of his counterpart before leaving. Merissa is sitting adjusting her crown when her other counterpart, the Queen of Ga'Hoole, enters also wearing her formal gear, an ornate silver crown with an amber jewel in the centre with a matching necklace and a light yellow cape on her shoulders.

"Your grace, would you want to join me for tea?" Barran asks

"Of course." Merissa smiles as she then follows the Snowy Queen into the hallway

Chaos and commotion is in City Centre as Boron then arrives, after being called out of important talks with the Queen Dowager of Ambala, to see utter chaos and confusion and infirmary staff airlifting someone to take to the infirmary. That someone being Sienne Daube as Boron was just told by a messenger, that Sienne and three members of Tyto Resistance had just arrived. And what else was added was the extent of her wounds.

"Ezylryb, where is Sienne Daube?" Boron asks

"She had a very bad wound across her chest. The nurses are going to have to take a look at it and see what they can do." Ezylryb answers before a pulling a face "Her guards told me that Ramaxon overthrew her and slashed her chest. They managed to patch it up as well as they can, especially stopping the bleeding."

"Did you tell Autumn yet?" The monarch asks as they then start heading out of City Centre "From what I know and heard is Senator Daube and your fiancée have been friends since being owlets."

"I haven't told Autumn yet. I will have to find a way to break the news gently to her." Ezylryb replies

"She's a fragile on that one." Boron says while dodging a low-lying tree branch "But I would guess that you're the one who makes her stronger."

The Screech owl nods his head in agreement "She may be fragile and timid, but she does have her moments of courage."

"Merissa's having tea with the missus, by the way. Just letting you know where your soon-to-be sister-in-law is." Boron then mentions, "I'm going to see what other info I'm going to get from those guards."

"And I guess I'll go and tell me wife-to-be about what happened." Ezylryb says

"Keep me updated with what's going on, will you?" The King says to one of his seconds in command as he then starts going in the opposite direction

"If Sienne improves, I will report it immediately." The second in command shouts before taking off

* * *

Back in Rosewood, Ramaxon is in his office playing with one of his swords in his claw and he is errantly waving it about before he revives word of visitors. He then exits into the courtyard as incoming is a dispatch group from the Pure Ones, led by Morin, the Lieutenant of the Pure Ones. Of course, their leader would not want to bother with this unless it was genuine. In a way, Morin has been sent to make sure that Ramaxon is not screwing around… or worse.

"Where are the bloody Hagsmire is ya king?" Ramaxon asks

"I am Lord Morin of Shadow Tyto, Lieutenant of the Pure Ones. Our Lord High Tyto, Lord Kludd, has sent me to see if you are genuine in your offer of an alliance. Obviously, he doesn't trust you at all since you and your bastards had taken out too many of our squads." Morin then announces as she stands in front of six soldiers

"So what if I attacked Brix and your crews. Let bygones be bygones. Glaux, it ain't like it's going to be the biggest drama in the whole of the world again." Ramaxon shrugs

"Lord Kludd asks if you provide your soldiers in alliance with his army." Morin continues with what he has been told to say

"Only if I get something in return." Ramaxon replies as he impatiently shifts from claw to claw "That's the thing. I don't do something without either it being a win-win for me, or I being compensated in some way. So what would your "High Tyto" want to give me in return for swearing allegiance to the Pure Ones and coinciding with the army?"

"That is not for me to decide. It will be discussed in the next Inner Circle meeting with our king. One in which I don't think you will be allowed to attend." Morin answers before turning around "Ramaxon Pettit."

Morin and his group then leave Rosewood. The thoughts this owl has about the Traitor of Rosewood is mixed. He was present during the events that took place months ago and if anything, he found that he was as much as a coward as he is arrogant. Morin finds that the Inner Circle is like a family. To Nyra and Elanore he is like their brother and to Metalbeak when he was alive, Morin was like a son like how Elanore was like his daughter. Morin has a mate named Celia who is one of the other apprentices and noblewomen of the Inner Circle.

As Ramaxon then watches them leave… he only has one thing to say…

_"First step complete. Second step, resuming my duties."_


	5. Chapter 5: The Tough Decisions

Chapter 5: The Tough Decisions

It was about an hour ago that Sienne Daube arrived in Ga'Hoole, and not in the best condition. She was turning pale, besides having bloodstains on her dark brown feathers; she looked like death was around the corner. She was swiftly admitted to the infirmary within moments. It has been now about an hour, like I had said before, but now there is no word from anyone on the condition. Lack of news concerning those who remain outside the infirmary, a loyalist of the Inner Circle to the monarchs and the patient's long-time friend and the regal of the Forest Kingdom of Ambala.

In the ever-slipping grip of the Ambalan Princess' claw, she holds a special charm, one in which was blessed by one of the owl gods and given to the Kin Royals back in the ancient times. It has been passed down for many a generation and it was to be handed to the eldest, but they gave it to the youngest. She prays softly to herself, barely making a whisper as he runs the beads through her talons. Curious as to why she brought that along when, really, it is not necessary as they have brilliant staff in the infirmary; Ezylryb gives her a cynical look.

"Now why did you bring that?" Ezylryb asks, while gently snapping her out of it with a tap on the wing

"I am preying to Glaux that things will be ok, dear." Autumn replies before a worried sigh "I do hope Sienne ok…"

The silence comes again and yet, there is still no word. This is a matter of kingdom security and otherwise a big deal for both the Guardians and their annoying, yet helpful, counterparts in the UKO (United Kingdoms of Owl), especially if there is signs toward a war. Autumn continues with her little prayer session before into the infirmary comes one of family.

"Her majesty, Queen Dowager Merissa of Ambala." The guard announces

The two owls awaiting then jump at the announcement. As in comes Merissa from the still cold weather of the ending winter, still dressed up all formal, but when she had heard the news, she didn't really have the time to change as she rushed down to the infirmary (aside from getting lost for about fifteen minutes) and now she has arrived.

"Merissa, you heard the news." Autumn says

"Yes, sister, I did hear the news. Boron had told me when his wife and I were having the most pleasant time while having tea. It did ruin the mood, indeed." Merissa replies as she looks around "It didn't help either that I had to get ever so lost while trying to find my way here."

"The Great Tree is a big place, Merissa." Ezylryb says, for once addressing his soon-to-be sister in law by her name, impressing her greatly, "It can be an easy task to get oneself lost."

"Indeed so, _Ezylryb_. I never did know that this realm could be so… Big." Merissa agrees with a nod of her head, and hinting towards a formal greeting (a little surprised that he actually called her by her first name)

"I have been counting prayers, with every passing moment that we do not hear news… Oh as hagsmire you can understand my anxiety to the matter." Autumn then mentions, "For it not the worry of a dispute if Ramaxon Pettit has indeed fallen back into old habits, but it is the welfare of my one friend."

"I am just as worried as you are, dear sister in law." The Ambalan Queen agrees with a wing on her shoulder

The infirmary staff of nurses then leave the room, and upon doing so, they didn't know they were in formal company, as then curtsey awkwardly. Of course, all Ga'Hoolians knew that the Ambalan Queen Dowager was visiting for important political talks, but her being here is a little unexpected. And then there is Autumn, being the Princess of Ambala and a higher member of command, but they'd expect to have to bow for her on usual occasion.

"Has her condition improved?" Ezylryb asks, knowing that he will have to report what has been said to the king

"The Senator of Tyto is going to be fine and she has sustained consciousness after undergoing having stiches being put in place. The wound was deep enough, causing lots of bleeding, but not deep enough to do damage." The nurse replies

The three then breathe a sigh of relief, as Sienne is ok. Ezylryb then goes to report the change in her condition to Boron while Merissa and Autumn go into the room. Lying on the infirmary bed, with bandages on her chest and the colour eventually returning to her feathers, Sienne is awake though sleepy and not feeling as much pain, as she would expect by now.

"Queen Merissa." Sienne says with a nod of her head, acknowledging her title, "I'd get up and curtsey if I weren't confined to a bed with half a metre of thread and 3m of bandage on."

The Spotted Owl queen chuckles softly "No need to curtsey, Sénatrice Sienne. Not unless we're in formal company and I wouldn't think this would count."

"Is Ramaxon in control of Tyto Resistance?" Autumn, the petite Spotted Owl, asks

Sienne sighs heavily, "He is, Autumn. But I didn't expect him to try and kill me like that."

"Well, I myself have expectances of things I didn't expect. Especially months ago when the High Tyto of the Pure Ones almost drowned me." Autumn agrees, before a soft laugh

"Now, why are you in Ga'Hoole, Merissa?" The senator asks to the larger Spotted Owl, out of curiosity, as she never would guess that she would actually someday visit Ga'Hoole for more than just seeing Autumn

"I have been here on political reasons, but I have decided to stay a little longer after hearing what had happened to you." Merissa answers

"Oh, you really don't have to do that." Sienne replies, feeling a little honoured before turning to Autumn "Did you hear any word from my niece yet?"

"I have. Bryony wishes you the best and a very quick recovery. She also has sadly went into hiding with her husband, Shard, in fear of a fate by the claws of Ramaxon Pettit." Autumn answers

"She is supposed to kill him in vengeance, not the other way around." Sienne quips, with a slight laugh, before stopping when receiving two confused looks from her friends and an awkward silence to follow

"Boron and the Inner Circle plan to have a meeting here by next evening." Ezylryb then announces as he returns and breaks the awkward silence after a misinterpreted joke "So I would suggest you rest up, Sienne."

"Oh, hello, Ezylryb. It is good to see you." The Senator greets as he enters and comes beside Autumn "I hear you and Autumn have been having a little conflict as of late. Over wedding preparations no less a topic I can understand would be a cause of conflict."

"Well, it's resolved now. I managed to tame the bridezilla." Ezylryb says before bursting into laughter and Autumn smirking and rolling her eyes "Well, before I cop a scolding and a slap from me almost missus, I should say that Boron ensures that you will be safe here."

"And tell your king I am grateful." Sienne replies with a nod of her head

"I will. And he hopes you get some rest before the Inner Circle meeting. It is being held here by the way, A little informal, but very necessary." Ezylryb then mentions

The Barn Owl Senator yawns, "It is understandable."

After some talks, they decide to leave Sienne to rest, especially as she had abruptly fallen asleep midsentence. They do not blame her; she does need her rest in the condition she is in so she can recover. Sure, it is only 2am in the morning, but they would leave her alone. The chaos already is going to be taking toll on more than just the alliance with Tyto Resistance, but the UKO will be dealing with this crisis as well. Not just because one of their senators have been injured; but also that the Rosewood community now has a corrupt as sprink leader and there may be a bit of a dispute in the air.

* * *

Over in St. Aegolius, as the winter chills are still around, leaving a chill in the air and snow in the courtyard to be moved away so that owls can walks through with ease. In the Royal courtyard, a part of the Pure One Palace, which is only for royals and nobles only, there is a slightly more beautiful scene of snow. There was a garden erected here and there are all sorts of flowers, planted here. The true story is unknown by others, but what is known is that it was made for Queen Nyra by her late husband, Lord Metalbeak.

On a walkabout, in this frost covered wonder, Kludd picks a winter orchid, an orchid that blooms and survives the winter chills, from The Northern Kingdom, and places it betwixt the ornate design of the chain on Nyra's cape. Since the other night, Kludd has been a little different. As he is now an adult, he has changed a fair bit, though his temper does remain the same no matter what.

"You're the true beauty of winter, Nyra. Your snowy complexion matches this of the snowflakes that fall from the skies above us." Kludd says as he holds her wing

"Where has this side been? Hiding in his shell? I have never heard you say something so romantic before." Nyra asks with some curiosity

"Since I have absolution from my wretched daymares that haunted me, I have been having good lights sleep and I have actually been appreciating all that is around me." Kludd answers as he then places his other wing out, running it along the bushes as they walk past "My Soldiers are loyal, my Inner Circle just and true to their words and decisions, Elanore is a true daughter of the Pure Ones for her faith and resolve and…"

"And what else do you appreciate?" She asks with a bit of a hint, hoping to hear what she does want to hear from him

"You, my fiancée." He answers to his queen "I am really appreciative to have you on my life. For more than you going to become my wife."

"If it matters to say, I would say that Metalbeak would be proud of your faith to the cause and for picking up where he left off." Nyra then mentions

"And someday I will avenge him, milady." Kludd says as he kisses her wing "I will gave the Guardians begging for mercy. And my brother will die for what he did."

The doors of the palace open and into the courtyard come Morin, the Pure One Lieutenant, who has arrived back from his dispatch into Rosewood. It was a long flight from Rosewood to St. Aegolius, and he would rather be resting, but he does have to report his findings _immediately_ after he got back Kludd then faces him and he bows in respect.

"Ramaxon Pettit will be arriving tomorrow at midnight to discuss terms of the alliance." Morin reports

"Are you out of your mind?!" Nyra exclaims as she looks at Kludd with a sharp glare

"Morin, dismissed." Kludd then says with a wave of his wing before turning to his very furious wife to be. Morin immediately evacuates himself from the courtyard, as he knows how explosive Nyra's temper can get and he does not want to be in the firing line.

"You have to be missing a link, Kludd." The white Barn Owl says, knocking on his helm

"And by what do you mean?" Kludd asks as he then holds her wing away from hitting his helm any more times than needed

"Ramaxon is a bastard. He failed us during Metalbeak's reign and betrayed us. Not to mention he took out many of our squads and you remember that they attacked Elanore. HE ordered the goons on her!" Nyra explains, her voice sounding very off as she is trying not to scream at him with anger

He then takes her by the wings "Nyra, listen. He took out Sienne Daube, the senator woman. His intentions are true that he is against the Guardians. You DO remember that he was a militant Pure One? Use that brain, girlfriend."

"We can't trust him." She protests

"I know, I know. When we meet with him tomorrow night, I will give him five minutes to explain himself or he's going to be arrested." He then explains with assurance "its politics, Nyra."

"You better know what you are doing. If something happens, I am blaming you." Nyra snaps, forcing her wings away from his

Kludd then starts walking away as he begins to leave "I can live with that."

And that morning, Nyra is still a little peevish over the fact that Ramaxon Pettit, the same owl who has done so much harm to their army and also to the general she considers a daughter, will be coming to their base. It is with a few glasses of wine she is trying to digest the news, however, she never takes lightly to those who are classified as threats against them. Hagsmire, she feels no regret for ordering the bats to kill Allomere after seeing what happened because of not having all of the Guardians there. If anything, she hates Soren for what he did. He killed her husband. Now, with Ramaxon coming here when he almost killed the closest thing she has to a daughter, Nyra would want to rip out his gizzard.

As for Elanore, upon hearing the news, she was furious, though she did not even have enough anger to bother doing what Nyra did, question Kludd's decisions. She has just let it go, as she was then told that if he was lying to them in some way, as per plotting an attack, she would have permission to kill him. She looks to Nyra and she knows that she is not tolerating the news well; she has had four glasses of wine this morning…

"Elanore, come here." Nyra says while the fourteen year old is examining the capes.

She drops what she is doing and comes by the side of the queen "Do you want more wine, milady?"

"No, dear." The snow coloured owl says before a saddened sigh

"What is the matter?" Elanore asks

"Elanore, I call you my daughter and I would do anything to protect you. Kludd seems to forget what he did to you and wants to have an alliance. I want him to listen to me… Because, Ramaxon hurt you, Elanore. He beat you up without mercy because of his retarded resistance beliefs." Nyra confesses while trying to withhold her tears, as she gets very emotional when she has had a few

"I want him to change his mind too… But, sometimes… sometimes you have to make decisions for the good of the kingdom." The 'daughter' replies "You can only hope what Kludd is doing is the right thing. He cares about you so much, Nyra. You and the kingdom as he wants to lead us to victory and to avenge our fallen… including Metalbeak…"

"I know… I know…" Nyra says before breaking into tears and clinging to Elanore "I just never know what to do anymore. I love Kludd, with all my heart, but sometimes in his judgements I cannot trust him…"

At the door, Kludd is just eavesdropping with his ear slit toward the door. His Nyra does not trust him with a decision that could actually lead to the downfall to the Guardians. Of course, he does know the bad that Ramaxon has done, but, he has to put the kingdom and the faction first, before anything else. If anything, he would just go into that room right now and tell her that he is doing this for her, but, he knows she gets this way when she has a few drinks. The meeting is early tomorrow evening, so he should get to bed. He then closes the door and heads down to his bedchamber.

* * *

Over in Ga'Hoole, as nightfall arrives, the monarchs are getting ready for the Inner Circle meeting they are holding in the infirmary, where Sienne Daube has been for the last 18 hours. From what he has heard, Ramaxon has dark intentions, as one described it, he underwent a renaissance per say and it does worry Boron greatly, especially as they could sometime soon end up from a resistance community to a Pure One outpost and second base.

Barran, with her scarf just draped over her shoulders, the pin lying on the table, is reading a letter. It has been two years since their son, Josh, had left Ga'Hoole and went to the Northern kingdoms to start a life with Lydea, his girlfriend and back then, newly crowned Queen of the North. They have a young daughter, a Princess of the North together, Sina, and Barran loves hearing what the little granddaughter has been up to, as she may be a year and half old, but she's already a rambunctious owlet.

"Barran, you can read later. We are in the middle of a diplomatic crisis and you decide to read the letter now. Why do you always pick the worst time to read?" Boron says to his wife

"Because, I like to know what our nineteen year old son is doing. He's in another kingdom and so far away and…" Barran stammers with a dash of motherly worrying

The king rolls his eyes before taking the scroll off her and then leaving. Barran then finishes getting ready and runs (flies too) to catch up to her husband. Since her son did leave the nest (**pun not intended**), she obviously has been worried about him so much. She knows that he is alright, especially living with Lydea in a palace with guards around, but she has her motherly instincts often sensing some disturbance… or is that just the OTHER sense she has?

In the infirmary, Sienne Daube is already awake and still bedbound. Ezylryb and Autumn are already here awaiting their monarchs to show up. They are five minutes late to a meeting… By now, you have to be used to this sort of thing, especially as there are many a reason for royal tardiness. However, it's a little inexcusable now that Josh isn't here; it's a Saturday so no GTA classes and it's too late to be sleeping in. The door then opens and in come the king and queen.

"So nice of you to finally join us, your majesties." Ezylryb quips as they finally have arrived.

"Sorry, time got ahead of us." Boron apologises as they enter "How are you faring tonight, Senator Daube."

"I am fine, a little hurt, but fine." Sienne replies

"We heard news; Ramaxon is going to side with the Pure Ones." Autumn brings up with a scroll beside her from their informant in the Pure One Base

"Rosewood mayn't be strong in numbers, but they are some of the strongest fighters within all of the kingdoms." Sienne adds, dreading over how much stronger the owls of evil would be if the resistance owls sided with them

"In accordance, the UKO had decided on an OWER alliance with us, the Guardians, during the emergency meeting last morning. Especially if war does break out." Ezylryb reports what he was told by their rep.

The king nods his head "That will be held off for until we have the intel and facts that are a confirmation of Ramaxon Pettit's alliance with the Pure Ones."

"Ramaxon has many a hatred for Guardians." Sienne then interjects "Especially as I am here and my niece is a Guardian and, well, alive."

"Autumn, tell the UKO that they should be ready and waiting for the alliance offer. Explain well about the threat against both us and the kingdoms and of Ramaxon's treacherous offers of allegiance we have heard of." Boron orders

The small spotted owl nods her head "Right away."

"Now we have that covered, meeting adjourned." The king says

They're clearing out of the room, especially Autumn to write the letter to the UKO, when Boron stay behind for a bit. He then gets to the doorway before turning around to ask Sienne something.

"Senator, how bad is Ramaxon?" Boron asks

Sienne sighs, "He is becoming like Jacobi."

Boron then pulls a face, horrified of that comparison, before nodding his head and leaving Sienne to her own suffices and to continue resting.

_"If I know the legends, that means he is dark from a point in time and if he does join with the Pure Ones. …Oh Good Glaux!" _Boron thinks to himself as he takes off down the corridor of the infirmary

* * *

In the Pure One Base, as nightfall came around, Kludd remains in the throne room. He did have a very hard time sleeping last night, just from the plain insomnia one can have. Any hour, any moment now Ramaxon Pettit will arrive and when he does, he has five minutes to explain himself, or be arrested, and then executed.

The doors then open, and every time they do, you can expect to get frightened by the loud noise it makes when they push them open. In comes Nyra and she is merely donning a frown on her face, met with a sharp glare in her eyes. She wasn't happy to even hear the owl that hurt Elanore, who beat her and the squad up, is coming here, especially as he is merely just resistance scum. She then doesn't bother speaking with Kludd, and takes her place on the throne, which would be to the left of Kludd.

_"I will have a lot of explaining to do…" Kludd thinks to himself_

The doors open again, as Elanore enters supporting a sword on her, as she wants to be ready for anything that may come. She hasn't been accepting herself of the news of this alliance, but she'll just have to bear with it. She spotted Ramaxon arriving and immediately took up the corridor, not to tell Kludd, no, just to get away and getting herself out of danger. She does let Kludd know of his arrival with a slight distain in her voice as she too then takes her place, to the right of where Kludd would sit and on the lower rung, like where Nyra is perched.

Kludd then comes beside the two girls in command, his fiancée and the fourteen-year-old general, and they do not say anything. Kludd can't stand silence, so he'll be definitely having a word with Nyra, especially as she would have told Elanore to be silent.

"The Resistance Leader, Ramaxon Pettit." Morin, at the door, announces as the doors open and the Eastern Grass Owl, decorated in war paint and with a bandana around his head, and with his swords in easy reach. He then comes up to the throne, not bowing before the leaders, especially for the king and the queen of the Pure Ones.

"You have got to be kidding, Kludd." Elanore plainly says

"Alright, Pettit, you have five minutes to explain yourself before you are arrested for being here and near sooner executed." Kludd sneers, as well as ignoring Elanore's statement

"Well, Lord Kludd, Queen Nyra and Lady Elanore, you Kludd may have been barely a tween when I was who I was. I was the informant while Rosewood and near sooner the whole of Tyto Forest would have been under control. It was after the overthrow that my thoughts turned… weak. I lost who I was until after I hid myself away after you lot left and I was probated." Ramaxon explains

"Your point being?" Kludd asks, with some annoyance of Ramaxon's beating around the bush

"I would want to resume my duties and offer Tyto Resistance to be in alliance with your faction." The Eastern Grass Owl plainly states, "I want to kill Sienne Daube and it has come to my attention that she is where the Guardians are, the Great Tree of Ga'Hoole. My soldiers have already sworn allegiance, those who have stayed that is."

"You better not be playing me, owl." Kludd sneers with suspicion of this all being false

"Hey, I want Sienne dead as much as you want your weakling of a brother, Soren, dead. I am not lying, sir, as I am going to merely be of some help to the war, ensuring that you have the Guardians at your mercy, like you had said." Ramaxon says, defending himself

"You have a deal…" Kludd says "BUT, if you betray me or this Pure One Kingdom and not for filling these promises you will be put to death."

Ramaxon smirks in amusement, "It's a pleasure doing business with you, Lord High Tyto."


	6. Chapter 6: First Nights of Spring

Chapter 6: First Nights of Spring

September. The snow is gradually disappearing and it may still be a little chilly, the moon and the sun out more during the day and the night, and with a little bit of downpour, but in all means, it is now spring. Moreover, it is the final days before the one formal that Middle Year Two students, mostly girls, are dreaming about since they really have no need for a debutante ball here, and it is the Spring Fling. Soren hasn't seen Otulissa in three nights, and it worries him a fair bit as he's the one who goes off the blink, not her. If he attended the GTA, if he was still only a Guardian-in-Training, he'd see her in class, but either way he hasn't seen her at all. However, as she has clearly explained, she has been getting things together as she really does want to celebrate this transition into Senior Year as she cannot wait until she is full-fledged like Soren is. –And yet, the other reason, beauty. She can't help but be a little vain.

Soren's mother, Marella, has been obsessing over Soren going to be taking Otulissa to a formal event and she has been really committed to having her son look a little formal for the occasion. Soren is hating being fussed over and finds it really annoying that his mother is doing what girls do before a social event… and if he wanted to be fussed over like this, he would have been born a girl.

It is the night of the party and Soren has been fitted with a dark green cape. Marella seems to think that that colour is best for him, giving him a natural look with his feathers. Soren thinks he looks stupid, especially as he's only going to the school formal for Otulissa.

"Mum, is this really necessary?" Soren asks his mother

"It is a special night, not just for Otulissa because this is the celebration for getting this far in the GTA along with the other students who are to become Guardians at the end of next year." His mother replies as she fixes him up "Your sister wears a cape to school with the school uniform during the winter months."

"That is because it is the school uniform, mum." Soren says with a roll of his eyes, "I wouldn't mind dressing up if you weren't treating me like a girl."

Marella rolls her eyes as Soren then exits into the hallway and out into the main room, ready to leave. His father then is waiting by the door, while a disinterested Eglantine plays with her toys.

"Do you know the deal, Soren?" His father asks, as they did have a long talk about this event and the curfew that they imposed

"After the event ends, take Otulissa home and come straight home. If I am not home by 11am, and if you hear that we snuck out or anything bad that I would have done with my girlfriend while not attending the celebration, I am grounded for a month." Soren replies with disinterest

"Good." Noctus replies before immediately lightening up and scuffles the feathers on his son's head "Have fun and no getting ideas."

Soren rolls his eyes as he then leaves the hollow to head around to Otulissa's place. He recently got a note saying that when he comes over to pick her up, she will surprise him. He does wonder what that means, as he hasn't seen her since three days ago. He then lands outside her hollow and knocks on the door.

"It's open! I'm in my room still. Just a minute." Otulissa's voice says from behind the door

Soren then enters Otulissa's hollow and it's surprisingly neater than usual, especially as she has usually her satchel lying on the floor and her desk is usually cluttered with her homework and assignments. With a busy schedule, when could you find the time to clean up? So really, there is no blaming her. Soren picks up one of the books she has on her desk and is flipping through with a quick glimpse before hearing Otulissa's bedroom door open.

"I'm ready." Otulissa announces

Soren turns around and is immediately taken by Otulissa's beauty this evening. Her makeup has been professionally done and she supports a creamy gold coloured formal cape and a little headpiece that has a small white flower tied to it.

"My Glaux, Otulissa, you look beautiful." Soren says as she enters the room before taking a twirl

"You look rather dashing yourself." Otulissa laughs before smoothing an out of place feather on the side of his head

"My mum made me dress up." He admits

"Well, we better not miss the party." She says before Soren opens the door for her "Thank you."

They then take off to head to the hall where the Spring Fling is being held. Otulissa is happy not just for going to a celebration related to her nearing graduation of Middle Year, but it also counts as a date. Sure, they've been on a few dates, but this time, the expectations are higher as it is a formal event.

* * *

In their hollow, Ezylryb is reading a book before Autumn comes out of the room dressed up all nice, which then turns his attention away from the book for a moment to see Autumn wearing a spring-inspired outfit.

"Where are you going dressed up all nice, hmm?" Ezylryb asks his fiancée as she admires herself in a mirror

"I'm chaperoning the formal. Therefore, I decided to dress up for the occasion. I would look very out of place wearing a cape and crown. Also, I am helping Madame Plonk with the music students and backstage management and whatever else." She replies as she fixes her lopsided cape

Ezylryb has a thought before getting up and then moving some things around to find a box, "I was going to surprise you with this sometime later, but, I think it is the best time. Besides, I mayn't know anything about fashion or style or any of that stuff, but I know that this will complement your cape well."

"Now what are you up to?" Autumn asks with some suspicion

"You are a princess, no?" He quips as he places the box on the desk "I got you a gift. Well, I thought of it and Merissa actually had it made, but it's the same principle. Ok, close your eyes."

Autumn closes her eyes as a crown is placed on her head and a mirror is brought over. She then opens her eyes and is surprised of what she sees, as a gold and silver crown, decorated with the orange gemstone of Ambala.

"Oh my Glaux… It's beautiful." She gasps with surprise "Why did you get this for me?"

"Because I would want to see you smile. And they chose a good colour gemstone your kingdom; it goes perfectly with your feathers, orangey brown with marks of the leaves of autumn in them." He replies as he straightens it "And every princess needs a crown."

Autumn hugs him "I thank you."

"No thank you needed, my princess." Ezylryb says "Besides, we all appreciate you so much. Oh and… You're going to be late."

Autumn kisses his cheek and heads to the door "I'll be back by ten."

"Have fun and keep the kids in line." He replies in a joking stern tone before they both laugh.

Autumn then takes off to do chaperoning as well as handling backstage. When she arrives, the event is almost on and Autumn gets to the backstage and is dealing with problems from missing sheet music, to pre-performance nerves. As the first act then comes on stage, at half past six am, the nerves have set in and Autumn then finishes supervising the backstage and heads to supervise the students.

* * *

When Soren and Otulissa arrive, the celebration has started and the outfit she is wearing is turning heads and getting complements. All of Otulissa's friends know Soren so they don't leave him out of conversation. By later on, Soren and Otulissa are dancing on the dance floor together. Soren, like his brother Kludd, seems to think he has two left claws, but with gentle encouragement from his girlfriend, he still dances anyway.

"I'm having an awesome time, you know." Otulissa says

"Yeah, it would be more fun if I didn't know that a month of freedom is at stake." Soren replies

"No offence, but they're being total jerks. They're nice, but really, they're not very cool with all this going out and stuff." She replies, without intending offence

"Now I see why Kludd hated it." He agrees (**BTW: Otulissa doesn't know the secret**) "Glaux, if ma didn't end up coming into my room, I would have gotten away with sneaking out. Besides, I had to say sorry to you."

"You think you know about history? Just asking because I have an assignment coming up and I can't be bothered to read the book about the thing." Otulissa asks, before a slight yawn "School tires me out something awful."

"It is The Battle of Twilight Dawn? I saw it on your desk." Soren asks before a sudden shock, "Wait, you really aren't going to bother reading? It's pretty much the one thing you do."

"I love how you tell stories, Soren. You make it so lively and… words really can't explain it." She answers before another yawn, showing how tiring school can be "I can't wait until next year… Then I won't have to do another assignment ever again."

Soren chuckles "Yeah."

On the sidelines, Barran, another of those who decided to be a chaperone of the school dance, is standing on the sidelines with Autumn. They're chatting while keeping a close eye on the students. It's something any teacher learns to do while being on playground duty, as the teens are likely to go a little bizerk, especially if they are fighting.

"I like the new crown, Autumn." Barran complements a little green with envy "Where did you get it?"

"Ezylryb got it for me. I actually didn't expect it, but, well… yeah." Autumn replies

"That is so sweet." Barran says before a saddened sigh "Boron's always too busy to get me spontaneously timed gifts like that."

"The work of a royal is never done, my sister." The small spotted owl says to her counterpart "You definitely have it better than my sister in law, so be grateful."

"I am, I am…" Barran tries to explain before noticing two teenage boys going to end up punching on "Oh my, a bunch of boys are about to start a fight. They'll ruin the whole celebration. Excuse me."

Barran then takes off into the crowd to go and deal with the boys who are about to punch on. She then drags them both outside before causing a scene, and would have a word with them. There really is no arguing against the Queen, she's one tough cookie. In addition, when it comes to punishment, she can have students writing essays until kingdom come (or at least graduation) as punishment for all sorts of things, besides assigning flint mop duty and detention. –They're probably going to get a warning, but if it continues, they'll get a flint mop.

* * *

Over in St. Aegolius, as the change in seasons is already underway, Nyra is giggling as she leads Kludd up the hallway, dragging him by his wing like an owlet would a parent. She had gotten him out of a meeting (one that he wasn't interested in attending anyway), just because she had something she wanted to show him. She then enters, dragging Kludd, her bedchamber. The ladies in waiting all curtsey as their king has entered with the queen. Nyra tells him to sit on the bed as she then is digging through her closet, being watched by attendants and a confused Kludd.

"Now, could you explain why I am here?" Kludd asks, a little confused and a little sore in his shoulder as she is very strong, "I appreciate you getting me out of that meeting, was basically the nobles being total pains in my side, but I do have to ask. Why? Why did you drag me here?"

"I wanted to show you something." Nyra answers as she is rummaging around "The least I did was get you away from the nobles and they're total nags."

Deep in her closet, behind capes, boxes and other assorted things, she has hidden a very special box, which contains something that means the world to her. She was just looking through trying to find something when she came across it. She didn't know it was here and now, with a wedding soon to be planned, she decided to show it to him. She then gets out the box and places it down beside him. He gives her a puzzled look, before she opens the box and the headdress she was mending a week or two ago is sitting on top of a long, lacy white cape. She places the headdress aside and then picks up the top of cape.

"What is it?" Kludd asks, a little puzzled, especially as it is just a cape which had a headdress on it that has some jewels on it

"It's my cape." Nyra explains as her wings support the top of it "I wore it to my… first wedding."

He takes it from her and takes it out of the box "It's very lacy and… long. You look good in lace anyway. It suits you."

"It means a lot to me dear, I even had the ladies-in-waiting evacuate it before the… battle." She continues to explain before a heavy sigh, as she remembers that horrid night so well when she just had to say the word.

"Do you want to wear it?" Kludd asks as he fixes some of the creases in the fabric

"It needs a little work." Nyra admits with some shame as she sees the creases and some dust lightly changing the colour

"I want to see you wearing it, Nyra." He says while having a slight mental picture of Nyra wearing her bridal attire

"Well, it has been 10 years… and… and…" She says a little uneasy and self-conscious of how much she would have changed in the years she was married to her late husband. In other sense, she is trying to refuse not just because of the material worth and memories it brings.

Kludd rolls his eyes and places the cape on her by force. He then places the headdress on and takes a few steps back and Nyra closes her eyes, as there is a mirror in plain sight and she doesn't want to look at herself wearing it ten years after, having a moment of body-image issues and now that the husband is dead. On the other hand, Kludd thinks that she looks beautiful, and really, she hasn't aged really since how long ago it was, as he is looking at the portrait on her dressing table and she looks the same. He then places it down when one of the ladies give him a silent sign to do. With a little assurance, she opens her eyes and admires herself in the mirror.

"Nyra, you look beautiful." Kludd says before walking around her "I'm no designer, but it needs to be a little shorter and you're right, it needs work."

Nyra sighs "I miss Metalbeak… We only were married for 10 years and that was only a month before he died."

Kludd places his wing on her shoulder, as he looks herself in the mirror, "Sure, I mayn't have known the guy long, but Metalbeak was a great king and by the looks of this cape and a fair few of your other pieces, especially the jewellery, he loved you like any owl would love his wife."

Nyra takes off the cape and the crown and then places it away before walking out onto the balcony, all in saddened silence. She looks out upon the royal courtyard, which has an established garden, which gives colour to an otherwise barren and desolate wasteland, which would bring a smile to Nyra's face when the flowers bloom.

"Kludd, in November, when those flowers bloom in our courtyard... That is when I want us to be wed." Nyra announces

Kludd joins her, "That is only two months away. Why such a hurry when we could be wed in… February next year?"

The widow queen turns her head, looking towards him with a saddened expression "On our first anniversary, Metalbeak ordered for a garden to be put in place in the Royal Courtyard, to make it a little less gloomy whenever I would look out upon it. It took many a few months and within the November during the spring, the flowers bloomed and I would sit out there any given night because it would… it would make me happy to see flowers within this somewhat wasteland."

_"First anniversary gift being that?! My Glaux… No one can top that!" _Kludd thinks to himself feeling a little beaten, by a dead former husband of his fiancée

"I want to be married in the courtyard when those flowers bloom, Kludd." Nyra says, looking like if he says no she will then shed a tear because she wouldn't get her dream wedding

Kludd takes one of her wings "That sounds like a perfect idea."

"You're just saying yes because I'm already turning into a bridezilla. If you want to have it in February… I won't stop you. You are the king…" Nyra says before she sighs with sadness

"No, no, I think it's perfect." Kludd says, assuring her that he is all for her idea "It will be a grand wedding. Sure, two months away is a little rushed, but, I want to make it the happiest night of our lives. One to remember always remember like the birth of a child."

"You… Don't mind?" She asks

"Affirmative, my love." He whispers before kissing her cheek "Besides, I would think it will be the last wedding you should have. I'm not going to die."

Nyra giggles as she whispers back "Long live, Kludd… Lord High Tyto of the Pure Ones… my husband."

Nyra giggles before she and her fiancé lock beaks in a passionate and loving kiss and the queen backs into the doorway as she places her wings over Kludd's shoulders and he has a wing supporting her back. The ladies-in-waiting hear a knock at the door and go to see what that is while their king and his soon to be queen tenderly make out.

"Good Glaux, why can't I get out of meetings more often?" Kludd quips, receiving an immediate laugh from Nyra before they lock beaks again, this time a little more heated

"A thousand pardons, my lord and my lady." Morin says as he bows and Kludd and Nyra immediately stop what they are doing and face him "However, Ramaxon Pettit requests an audience."

"Not now." Kludd complains before his temper pipes up, "Cannot you see that I am in the middle of something?! What in Glaux name does that bastard want?!"

"I haven't the slightest idea, my lord." Morin replies, while unfazed by his king's temper "However, Pettit does require your presence, immediately."

Kludd lets out an agitated exhale and tilts his head back in submission "Fine…"

Nyra gives as just a disappointed look as she then walks over to the box containing her bridal gear and then tells the ladies-in-waiting to take it to the seamstress to have alterations done. Kludd kisses her cheek, before leaving to see what in the world's name Ramaxon wants from him now.

* * *

10am and the dance ends and Soren is taking Otulissa home, it is the nicer thing for a date to do. They decide to walk, as it only takes a few minutes and Soren doesn't have to be home for another hour. When they get to her door, they're holding wings.

"How is your schedule?" Soren asks his girlfriend

"Maybe dinner, tomorrow night?" Otulissa replies, as she knows what Soren was going to ask her

"It's a date." He replies

They then kiss on it and Otulissa then enters her hollow to get ready for bed. Soren then flies home and he does hope that it isn't later than he thinks, because a month of freedom is at stake and being grounded really sucks. When he comes home, it is quiet and his mother is the only one who is up, especially as Eglantine went to bed at her bedtime and… by the looks of it, his father went to bed too.

"Did you have fun?" His mother asks as he closes the door

"Where's da?" Soren asks

"He went to bed, sweetie." Marella answers as she continues her knitting and has a smile on her face "You look darling, Soren. Like a true gentleowl. Did Otulissa have fun at the dance?"

"She did. And she had a very pretty cape too." Soren answers

His mother then has a thought, "Soren, do you know anything about what Kludd has been doing. I'm a little worried…"

"If I tell you what I have been told, you have to remain calm." The son answers as he then remembers how bad his parents can overreact

"I've stopped overreacting months ago, Soren." She calmly replies

Soren takes a deep breath, "Kludd is going to get married ma. He proposed to the girl he likes on his birthday. That was two weeks ago by now."

"Who is this girl he likes, Soren? What is her name?" his mother asks with curiosity as to who her daughter-in-law will be

"Her name is Nyra." He answers

Marella starts a new row on her knitting as she tries to think of where she has heard that name from before, "That is a pretty name."

"I guess…" Soren says with a roll of his eyes upon thinking of the owl "She does take care of Kludd and from what I have heard, she keeps him happy and grounded."

She sighs, "I miss Kludd…"

"We all do, ma. We all do." Soren agrees as he hugs his mother


	7. Chapter 7: The King and That Demon

Chapter 7: The King and that Demon

Over two weeks, Nyra decided on a wedding date, November 24th. It is a little over two months away. They had hired a wedding planner, well, Nyra demanded that they hire one, as she doesn't want to do all the work herself. Besides, the queen herself is already wanting to have a perfect wedding and well… the ladies in waiting are always listening to Nyra's petty wishes, and also the other members of the Inner Circle.

Early one night, Kludd is in the middle of an early morning training session, with two of his seconds in command, Elanore and Morin. They usually end up going over combat and other sorts of things like that, before having a mock duel comp. Elanore is sitting on the sidelines as Morin and Kludd are in the middle of a duel. Kludd prefers to use two swords in combat, and sadly, Morin only uses one, a total disadvantage. Morin then uses a evade before attempting to strike Kludd, when he blocks with both of his swords. Within their combat training, they do exchange chitchat.

"Has Nyra gone all bridezilla yet?" Morin asks

"Well, she's going to be sooner or later. We're going to be married in November." Kludd replies before a laugh and a forward strike, which is parried

"Why such a rush to tie the knot?" The Lieutenant asks, slightly curious of why they would get married so fast.

"Nyra told me of a beautiful wedding she wanted when the flowers in the courtyard bloom." The king answers before raising his wing, signifying that he wants to have a break "I would want to make it the best night of her life, really. And her last wedding she'll ever have."

"Seeing Nyra so happy is a blessing on my part." Elanore speaks up, adding input into the conversation

"Yeah, a woman in her twenties shouldn't be depressed until they have kids." Morin quips

As they share a well-mannered laugh, the door opens and one of the ladies in waiting enter. She heads towards Elanore, before stopping before the High Tyto and bowing, and starts whispering in her ear. One thing to know is that Elanore, besides being the youngest female general in the Pure Ones, she also is the lady-In-waiting to Nyra, irregardless as Nyra took her as an apprentice AND assistant.

"Pardon me; we're having a wee bit of girl trouble." Elanore says

Elanore rushes off out of the courtyard. Kludd looks very confused. He had heard of codes, but he can never remember what they mean. He tries to decipher through his mind what it could possibly mean, as he could be missing something important or something like that.

"Still don't understand what it means." Kludd mutters

"You should really have them memorised in your head, Lord Kludd. It obviously means what it means. Nyra might just need her attendants for some chores or she's with the wedding planner and making a "tough" decision on the flowers." Morin explains before a slight laugh

"Oh." Kludd says in realisation

* * *

By later Kludd is in the middle of attending a meeting with the Inner Circle, as they express concern about plans and one thing they had seemed to bring up is that they keep trying to have input about the wedding. Especially invitations are what they seem to be obsessing about, as they think it should be an Inner Circle affair, especially if Guardians would want to attack then or something. Nyra, already becoming a bridezilla, is pretty much stating what is what and she says that they could be tried for treason if they keep saying the "G" word when talking about the wedding.

Nyra then takes off to the training yard afterwards, as she has found training whenever she is peeved to be somewhat helpful. Elanore and Morin take off to do their duties and Kludd heads to the throne room. He is a little peeved himself, especially since the wedding is none of their business really and they keep trying to have input when Nyra and the wedding planner are the ones who are in charge.

Besides that, Kludd has been dealing with the alliance details with Ramaxon Pettit and Rosewood, which he has under control with the turnfeathers in the resistance. They will eventually provoke the Guardians and go into battle with them, as Kludd is planning a battle to end all battles, one that he will kill his brother in and he will bring Ga'Hoole to its knees and their monarchs begging for mercy and surrendering. A grand revenge after all that has been done to him and for the killing of Metalbeak, Nyra's former mate. Kludd wants Soren dead, especially as it hurt Nyra most of all, not just the Pure Ones and the kingdom, but it hurt Nyra.

He remembers the nights… The painstaking nights and days after the fight which made a beautiful Barn Owl a widow and tears to fall. Nyra was relieved that Kludd was alive, a little broken and burnt, but alive. However, those nights within the weeks and months since the death, she spent crying out of sheer sorrow. The funeral was none too good either as she was hurting more than being beaten. Kludd promised vengeance and it is up to him to someday for fill his promise to his now bride to be.

As he paces backward and forward in the expanse of the throne room, he starts thinking of what he should do. Thinking of how to take vengeance upon the Guardians, especially how to destroy Soren, who WAS his brother, but now nothing to him but one of them. Moreover, if surrender comes, what will he do then he wonders.

Just as he paces, the touches turn an eerie dark blue colour. Kludd walks over to them, as it is very strange for flames to be this colour. He does not know what it means, but he knows that something is very off here. Behind him, while he stares at the blue flames of the touches with wonder, think black smoke appears and appears to be forming something… Kludd turns around and sees this and he backs into the wall with fear. He then takes a decorative, and real, sword off the wall and he does pinch himself, so it is not one of the twisted daymares he had.

The smoke then forms into a dark owl, some of it remains around him. The owl of course is a scroom especially as he was killed roughly a thousand years ago, within the owl mythology and what Ga'Hoolians would call, during the time of King Hoole. Kludd stares upon the pitch black owl, which has glowing dark blue eyes and smoke around him as if he was the smouldering aftermath of a forest fire.

"I am Mordecai, God and Lord of Darkness." He scroom announces himself

Kludd is immediately shocked, as he never knew any of those legends that his father would tell him and his siblings could actually be true (well, excluding the fact that the Guardians do exist, he would think the rest are all nonsense). In addition, he is not the most informed about mythology so… it is pretty much all new to him in some way.

"A Young king like yourself, brave and confident, daring and calculating, should not stare like that. Then again, I am the Lord of Darkness…" Mordecai then says

"Holy… Glaux. So the Legend was true. There was an imbalance of Dark and light, a demonic god had turned against the 13 others and had founded… this. You are the first king of the Pure Ones!" Kludd exclaims, a little flustered that such things he thought were bull are true.

"It was all real, lad. Not just some fable." The owl god utters in distaste of how the legacy of his reign had turned out… a bedtime story

"Why… Why are you here?" Kludd asks

"Because there comes a time when I speak to the king of my army." Mordecai says, while circling around the current Pure One King "Of course, it comes to my knowledge that you had daymares. I see it as… There is darkness in your heart, boy. Darkness in which has yet to become unleashed. The goodness and all that stuff had clashed with your heart, it tried to revert you…"

Kludd gasps slightly, "The Darkness tried to make me… me… _him_again. No…"

Mordecai brings out a mirror, Kludd looks at his reflection, as he is a brown and black, from being burnt those months ago making it like a permanent stain on his feathers and the side of his face and he proudly supports his helm. If anything, he has changed a great deal within the expanse of becoming king, which was several months ago.

"Who are you, Kludd?" Mordecai asks

The image that Kludd sees then changes back to who he was before he became who he is now… The image is horrid in his eyes as he was nothing but a weak boy who was in the shadow of his younger brother. He backs into the wall as Mordecai continues to hold the mirror to show him.

"No… I am the Lord High Tyto of the Pure Ones, not that weak bastard who couldn't even do anything!" Kludd screeches with both fear and fury

The image then reverts a moment later and Mordecai destroys the mirror. Kludd then takes deep breaths, as he tries to shake that horrid image off his mind. He reassures himself that he is not that owl anymore, that he is not in the shadow of Soren, that he is in the shadows of the night, not of an owl.

"You see, those dreams weren't the good that is trying to take over your heart. It was trying to control you. They change you back to who you were." The Dark owl god scroom explains

"Who is this 'they'?" Kludd asks

"Your family, especially your pathetic little brother." Mordecai answers

"I do not want to go back to who I was…" The current king pants with a sick feeling in his gizzard

"You won't. I heard your vow. You vowed to Nyra that you would avenge Metalbeak and bring Ga'Hoole to its knees, to destroy the Guardians and your brother. To give Nyra and any of your future babes the world in which the Pure Ones will rule and the new and noble era will dawn. You need to take matters into your own claws, lad." Mordecai says while taking him under his wing and patting him on his back "…Starting with Rosewood."

Kludd turns his head and his eyes then flicker blood red, "You're right."

"Noctus, your father, thinks you are pathetic to have become a Pure One." Mordecai informs him

"He's a bastard and can rot in Hagsmire for all I care!" Kludd shouts his eyes still glowing red

"Use your rage, Kludd Canner. Use the rage as your fuel to the revenge. The Guardians will be at your mercy and you shall take over this world if you keep your mind to it." The demon says while circling him

"They will pay, Lord Mordecai." Kludd enthusiastically replies while his eyes still glow red

Mordecai then whispers in his ear slit before dissipating into smoke. Kludd's eyes change back to their original colour like the torches' flames back to its yellowy amber colour. He is in hyped silence, as he is thinking through decisions to then seize the moment. By chance, Morin enters the room, the opening of the doors once again shocking Kludd, as it always seems to do.

"My Lord…" Morin says

Kludd immediately interrupts "Go and get Elanore and go and prepare the army. We have to seize the moment, Lieutenant and for the love of Glaux; we are going to team up with our counterparts in Rosewood.

"Err… Yes, my lord. But, why this sudden change of plans?" Morin asks, slightly confused

"I am starting a war!" Kludd roars with enthusiasm and before a laugh


	8. Chapter 8: Tides of Change

Chapter 8: Tides of Change

Moon Master Class, a class in which some GTA students would trade a wing and a claw to get into, as they get better results and top chaw placing… and often some of them do continue studies to become senators in the United Kingdoms of Owl, or even rybs within the primary school, the GTA or even the chaws themselves. It's somewhat a big deal to be in this class, which, to make matters slightly more important, is taught by the monarchs of the tree.

Boron just has finished the final class of the day, one that he teaches, i.e. Political Studies. Often times, the work between the monarchs and their seconds in commands are shared around, even if most of the times there is nothing major to do besides meeting with dignitaries from other kingdoms. He enters his office and places the books aside as he then picks up a scroll and it is the minutes from Barran's meeting with a dignitary from Silverveil about the Rosewood crisis.

"Ah-ha. Just as I thought. Call it impatient but…" Boron mutters before hearing some crashing noises and somewhat muffled yelling, "What in the Hagsmire is that?"

The door barges open as a messenger enters in a hurry. He heard a crashing noise from outside and he can tell that this owl was it, by crashing into something or someone.

"Your majesty. Reports from St. Aegolius have come in and it is an amber warning, the Pure Ones are on the move to the Rosewood community. They'll be there by sun-up." The scout reports

"Tell them to keep an eye on them and report back immediately when something comes up." Boron orders

"Yes, your majesty." The scout answers before flying off

Boron then turns to his guards, "Fetch Lord Cress and the Princess of Ambala. And the other go and get Senator Daube. I'm going to get the queen myself, and I can guess where she is after I had to take Political Studies for the double."

"Yes, your majesty." Two of the guards reply

Boron wastes no time in leaving his office, as an amber alert means what it means… It means that things could turn ugly and the Pure One High Tyto would want to rear his ugly head. And after what happened in Rosewood, though they were defeated, yes, they still pose a new kind of threat. And as he has worked out, he wants to lead with bloody claw-prints into a war that could bring devastation into a world in which has been in the midst of this forever rivalry, besides being in, what has been called, the Everlasting War.

All the while in their hollow, unknown to the news that is of an amber alert, Ezylryb and his betrothed, Autumn are in the middle of a little game. It all started with them talking about curriculum in the GTA; especially about some students that are not focusing enough in their chaw placements, and Autumn was balancing three books on her head at the time. That was at least a half of an hour ago and now…

"No normal woman could do this properly without having a perfect centre of gravity." Ezylryb says

"I have had training." Autumn answers, concentrating on her balance "And a swordowl myself has to have a perfect stature, Lyze. You should know that being a warrior legend."

"Of course, my dear." Ezylryb chuckles in amusement

Autumn is up to balancing seven workbooks, her diary/planer, a delicate teapot made of the finest of china and a somewhat heirloom of the Kin Royals, vase which has flowery designs painted on it. When they hear the unexpected knock at the door, the game has to stop and Ezylryb immediately takes the more breakable items off his fiancée's head, with that she then takes away the books and fixes her beaded crow, pink tonight as it is spring after all, and fixes her hood on her cape, which has cherry blossom detail.

"What is it?" Ezylryb asks as the royal guard stands at the door

"I apologise for the rude intrusion, but the king requests yours and the Princess of Ambala's immediate attention. Amber alert." The Guard says before taking off

Ezylryb and Autumn share a worried glance and leaving the books where they lie, they then rush off to this immediate meeting and, funnily enough, Autumn's book is open on the page which has a map of the Tyto Forest community, located on the northern border called _Rosewood_.

* * *

It came as a rude shock to Nyra when she had heard the order go out to call the army. She was in the middle of some embroidering when she had heard the call and literally ran all the way from her bedchamber to the throne room in a hurry. She was worried that they were under attack or something, but Kludd just called the army as he is going to be merging two forces as a combined one.

By half-past four in the morning, a little over two-to-three hours before sun-up, they have arrived in Rosewood and… It seems to have been improved since Ramaxon's take over, especially since Ramaxon made sure things are just the way he likes them. Most of the owls here are believers in Tyto superiority, the others; they fled once the resistance became corrupt, under threat of execution. We do not know where these resistance fighters are… but we know that they are somewhere probably going to find a way to get the resistance back. Hell, their former Madame Commander, as far as they know is somewhere in Tyto Forest plotting her revenge, and due to this chaos, she has actually gone into hiding as Ramaxon has come back to what he was, a lying, evil, cheating, manipulative bastard with a blackened heart.

As Kludd entered the airspace, he once again has that flashover of seeing water before he shakes the thought off. He did almost drown here a fair while ago while trying to take this community over, because he wanted to kill his brother, the Lyze of Keil and his betrothed, the Princess of Ambala in the spur of the moment chance to do some damage, though he was knocked over.

Kludd, his fiancée Nyra and the general, Elanore, along with their guards, land outside what was the resistance base. Ramaxon and his cartel of traitors are all around the base, and their leader comes up to greet his somewhat counterpart.

"Welcome, Lord Kludd, Lady Nyra and Lady Elanore to the newly reformed Rosewood Community." Ramaxon says with some pride in his work that he has done

He bows for High Tyto Kludd, kisses the wing of the (still called) Widow Queen Nyra and does the same for General Elanore, much to the women's disgust, in which they express with a stern glare (Nyra's irises starting to go a little red…). They both think a vile pig like him should have been killed the moment he came to their base.

Kludd, still in his motive since his talk with Mordecai within the last night, puts his wing around the Eastern Grass Owl, Ramaxon "Without delay, we should get this plan started. To say the least, for Phase 1, we should consider a trap."

"What did you have in mind, Lord Kludd?" Ramaxon asks

They then start talking while heading into the base, leaving Nyra and Elanore standing in the courtyard. Elanore is glaring after Ramaxon sharply while Nyra has a love-stricken smirk on her face.

"There is something different about Kludd, Elanore Camille. -And I like it." Nyra swoons

Elanore rolls her eyes.

* * *

In the Royal Study, Boron is pacing back and forth while waiting for the rest to come. He came here looking for Barran, and she was here reading over the assessment tasks of students in the History Class in Moon Master. In the doors, walking slowly while still in her bandages is Senator Sienne. She has been recovering in the time she has been here, and whenever they can, they will eradicate the problem in Rosewood so she can return to Tyto Forest without the threat of execution.

"Ah, Senator Daube. You got here before Ezylryb and Autumn Rose." Boron says

"Well, I don't know where the Princess of Ambala is, but you'll know when she's coming by…" Sienne says before listening to hear giggling, "Must be her now."

Autumn enters, giggling and running, "I win!"

Ezylryb enters, being somewhat in second place and leans against the door "You are… a piece of work, Autumn."

"Well, if we could get serious for a minute, we do have a crisis to attend to." Boron mentions, in the hope they will listen

"Oh, yeah." Autumn says before straightening her crown "On the way, we sorta had a race… Never mind."

"Alright. The Pure Ones are on the move and they are in, or coming to, Rosewood as we speak. This could get bigger and they would end up trying to engage a conflict with the surrounding kingdoms of Silverveil and Ambala, or… The Great Tree." Boron says, giving a prompt rundown of events

"I did hear from our UKO representative in the OWER that they are awaiting orders to join Ga'Hoole in alliance towards any conflicts that may arise. " Autumn reports toward the matter at hand

"They may be small in number, but the Rosewood owls are very strong and have a lot of prowess." Sienne says, knowing all about her resistance and its members, "I worry that their High Tyto's gunna end up leading an attack on the other kingdoms. However, they do not have control of Tyto Forest, we never did as a resistance and they never will as a bunch of traitors."

"Like I said during parliament after the Rosewood crisis, Ezylryb, Barran, you should remember this, we will make a move when they threaten collateral damage. Engaging them in battle now isn't a wise decision." Boron then mentions, forwardly thinking

"However, their High Tyto has more reason to attack us here in Ga'Hoole as he swore a vendetta months ago." Ezylryb interjects to the conversation

"Good point." Boron says

"You cannot make all the decisions, Boron." Barran interrupts sharply, "We have to have parliament sometime soon, as we do have to decide as a kingdom. This is a democracy, and we as an Inner Circle and a UKO Senator from Rosewood/Tyto Forest cannot make all the decisions upon this matter as it is a threat of the security of the kingdoms, especially the Great Tree."

Boron, without wanting to argue the logic of his wife, turns to Ezylryb and Autumn "Warn the surrounding kingdoms, as well as The North, of the threat of a Pure One/Rosewood Traitors attack. Dismissed."

They nod and then leave promptly.

* * *

All the while in the Canner Family hollow, Mrs P. and Marella are standing outside Soren's room, eavesdropping on his little study session with Otulissa. He is helping her with a history assignment, especially going through the details of The Battle of Twilight Dawn legend, as she finds that reading the book will not be very… entertaining. In his interpretation, Soren is retelling the legend.

_"And with her dagger, she stabbed Mordecai in the back…" _Soren says

Noctus comes past as his wife and the family's nest maid snake are watching and asks "What are you doing, Marella?"

"Watching Soren." Marella simply answers

"You know that this kind of thing pisses him off." He warns with a roll of his eyes

Without getting involved, Noctus just walks away. It is true that Soren hates it when his mother insists on watching him whenever Otulissa is over, as she is the sort of mother who is very… cautious about what her children, well… only Soren and Kludd, do, especially because teenage boys are well… teenage boys.

"Hmm, we should invite the lass over sometime for dinner. I wouldn't think that they'd end up breaking up anytime soon." Marella says

Noctus walks back past and he says, unimpressed, "Fine, but you are taking it too fast in trying to bond with who might be our second future daughter-in-law."

Marella rolls her eyes, "He always seems to be in a mood…"

"Well, 20 years of marriage can have an effect on the husband. Especially what with where Kludd is and everything." Mrs P. agrees

A moment later, the door opens and the two ladies act casual, to try and not have the notion going that they were spying on them. Soren comes out of his room with his wing wrapped around Otulissa.

"That is a lovely scarf, Otulissa." Marella says, attempting something

"Well, thank you, Mrs. Canner." Otulissa replies

Soren sees through the façade, "Mum, what do you want?"

"Well, maybe sometime soon you could come around to have dinner, Otulissa." Soren's mother says

"I would love to." Otulissa smiles

"Oh, you have a student council meeting, honey." Soren says to his girlfriend

Otulissa kisses his cheek and then leaves promptly, not to miss the GTA student council meeting in which she, along with other students who have the potential to be in Parliament sometime in the future, attend.

"Tag! You're it, Soren!" Eglantine says suddenly to her elder brother, taking him by surprise

"No running in the hollow!" Marella yells as the two start running around playing Tag

* * *

Back in Rosewood, Kludd is in the room that Ramaxon had prepared for him and Nyra, which defines the term "royal treatment". Kludd enters as his fiancée is on the balcony with a glass of wine in her claw and joins her.

"So… You're actually going to do it?" Nyra asks

"I saw the truth, Nyra. I have brought shame upon myself for not getting around to this task sooner." Kludd says, before kissing her neck, "I will destroy the Guardians for what they did and I will kill Soren."

"I like this dark side of you…" She mutters

"I was a mere fool to not seize the moment to initiate my revenge. A fool to have unfinished business." He continues

"Where has this side of you been, Kludd?" Nyra asks

"In hiding." Kludd answers

He wraps a wing around her while watching the moonset behind the mountains in the distance. The perfect romantic moment in Kludd's eyes, as he is half way to what will be a battle of all battles, as he is planning something that could bring all hell

"I promise someday everything will be ours someday, Nyra. The kingdoms for the Pure Ones, Soren's decapitated head for the vengeance of Metalbeak and… A perfect life for us and any of our children that he will have." Kludd passionately says while staring at the moonset

"You are a visionary, Kludd…" Nyra smiles while cuddling up to him.


	9. Chapter 9: The Die is Cast

Chapter 9: The Die Is Cast

Kludd, with Nyra nestled under his wing is in Rosewood, where he has co-incited the resistance traitors, led by the spiteful and venerable Ramaxon Pettit, the Traitor of Rosewood. It is the middle of the day and as the creatures of the day are active and awake, the nocturnal ones sleep soundly, minus a few owls that are on watch duties over the day. Except for one Barn Owl…

Kludd tosses and turns in bed as he begins to have a daymare, which he has not had since at least for a period after he had reconciled what was bothering him. Now it has returned and they always seem to find a way to haunt him.

He sees himself in Ga'Hoole… leading a siege against the Great Tree and the Guardians, he then sees Soren, his brother and he is standing in front of him, with his battle garments on, especially a helm in which shines within the torchlight and his battle claws. It is a horrible sight in Kludd's opinion, as Guardians are nothing but trouble and really, he does hate even looking at Soren now.

_"Why are you doing this, Kludd? You are destroying the family. Da hates you… Ma, she is merely masking the sorrow she has in her heart. Eglantine… I have to lie to her about her big brother, Kludd. And Otulissa, I have to hide the truth from her too... I have to lie to everyone! You may be evil, but you are my brother, so please stop this, Kludd." Soren's voice echoes within his head_

He then goes to attack Soren, but passes through him, much to his confusion.

"What the…?" Kludd mutters

Just as he turns around, he cops a kick to his head, blacking everything out. In that instance of blacking out, he wakes up from this daymare in shock breathing heavily and he then pats areas of his body to check that he is awake and otherwise alive. Could it be that the daymares that haunted his mind are back once more to toy with his mind to torture him to end up making peace? Never has he said in his mind, though he has a hard time getting to being resilient… as he is as scared as an owlet would be in this situation.

"Kludd… Is something wrong?" Nyra asks, as she had awakened after feeling jabs in her chest as well as Kludd saying a few phrases repeatedly.

"Nothing… It was nothing." Kludd replies while still a little shaken

Nyra holds him close, "You had another daymare, didn't you?"

Kludd shamefully nods, as Nyra continues to hold him tight. She remembers those nights in which he was haunted by his own mind, daymares that had hold of him. He never explains them, but she knows that they are harmful… as he always wakes up in the middle of the night in this state and sometimes doesn't go back to sleep.

"Do you… want to talk about it?" She asks

Kludd then lies back down and Nyra sighs as she just does the same. He is not ignoring her question on purpose, but he just does not want to talk about it with her, as he does not like worrying her with his personal matters. They are soon to be husband and wife in less than two months' time, High Tyto and Queen (not Widow Queen) of the Pure Ones in marriage, a contact hat means that means they are going to spend the rest of their lives together, which is until death do them part. And this is not the way they should be spending the engagement time, keeping secrets from each other and barely speaking to each other without having to be their roles as monarchs of the Pure One kingdom. Kludd seems to always be busy, well, yes, he is their king, but he always makes time to be with Nyra. That is not really happening now that he is going about wanting to start a bloody Armageddon, and it seems Nyra is getting a little lonely at times… When Nyra has fallen back asleep, Kludd is standing outside alone, well, minus the guards.

_"They want me to stop this before it starts. Sprink, the goodness I my heart can go sprink itself, as I am the High Tyto of the Pure Ones and I am not going back to whom I was. I have a kingdom, I have a fiancée, I have people who appreciate me and someday I will have children and I will treat them like kings and queens, and none will be better than the other. I am not ever going to be like my father to my children… Never._

_As for why they want me to reconcile with Soren, sprink that. He is nothing but a Guardian, a traitor to the Tyto race. Someday he will be dead and it will be a glorious night… I will be doing it for you, Lord Metalbeak… and for your wife, Nyra, who I will be marrying to take care of her and her fragile heart…" _Kludd thinks to himself, before looking back into the room and seeing Nyra peacefully asleep.

* * *

Over in Ga'Hoole, in the Canner hollow, it is a little before dusk and Soren is asleep, but he has been having some dreams, which are not daymares, but they are not good either.

He is standing in the middle of City Centre, and above him, Guardians and Pure Ones are engaged in battle. He is looking around in horror as the Pure Ones have found this place… and before long, he and Kludd are standing at opposite sides of the City Centre, Kludd armed and deadly as he fights with Soren, who has no control over the situation or himself. And when the final events take place… Soren blacks out.

He wakes up in some fright once more. These dreams have been happening within the last three nights and he does not know what they mean or if they are daymares or not. But this time, a little more as been revealed. The first night he had this dream, he only saw a few things, like seeing the Pure Ones coming, the alarm rose, and last night, it was like he was witnessing the attack. And now tonight, he had seen his brother.

Soren then gets out of bed and goes over to his desk and then takes out a piece of paper, inks a quill, and starts writing.

_"Kludd,_

_I beg of you not to attack here. If there is any good in your heart anymore, please call all of this off. I get that you want revenge, but I do not want to hear that you have died, Kludd. You are mine and Eglantine's brother, and she already thought you were dead, but she wouldn't want to hear that her big brother has been killed by… well; I don't know who would do it, an assassin or maybe my master's fiancée, the Princess of Ambala…. Anyway, please, Kludd, you don't have to be evil, you don't have to be the High Tyto. Those daymares are trying to tell you that you should come home and… just stop all of this._

_We miss you, Kludd, the GOOD side of you. I don't get why you are evil... But, there is good in you and you should be thinking of what is best for you and Nyra and I don't think being the number 1 and 2 enemies of the world and of the Guardians would be a good life, I mean… I just know that you both will someday meet your demise this way._

_So… Just please don't start something that could mean that you could die a horrible death and… we want you to come home…_

_Soren."_

Soren sighs, as he might never be able to get through to the bastard who has become of his elder brother if he won't listen. He had eavesdropped on some news that he is in Rosewood, which means he is getting closer and closer to coming here every night that goes by. And while the September sun starts to set, Soren lies awake, unsure that sending his letter should be right and… he is sightly afraid that he would have another of those dreams…

* * *

Next evening, as the sun has set in Rosewood, Ramaxon has a map of the kingdoms on the table and he is playing with wooden blocks while waiting for Kludd to arrive. Either he is late or has cancelled; anyway, Ramaxon is here to wait it out. The door opens and Ramaxon then stands in the middle of the room and bows as Kludd enters.

"Finally arrived, Lord Kludd?" Ramaxon quips dryly

"I was running late, overslept." Kludd explains while heading toward the map, "Of course in my dreams I had some time to think through our plans."

"And they are…?" Ramaxon asks, expectantly

"One of my spies hath report that the Guardians only attack when provoked, or when we cause collaborate damage. Of course, that doesn't stop them from attacking outposts whenever they feel the need to." Kludd explains while looking over the map

"And that means…?" Ramaxon asks with a gesture of his claw to continue

"That we would need to let them know we mean business, Pettit you idiot." Kludd says, giving him a cynical look

"Well, pardon, but they won't bother if they hear we took over Tyto Forest, we, the resistance members who rebelled, pretty much already did that since Rosewood is somewhat a governing body, as the monarchy… well, we have no sprinking clue where the Charid monarchs went." Ramaxon says, adding some input into Kludd's planning

"That is why we're going to attack the two other kingdoms surrounding that we can attack. Ambala, the home-kingdom of the future second missus of the Lyze of Kiel, and Silverveil, that other kingdom which is bordering it and where a Guardian outpost is." Kludd explains with a fair bit of venom in his voice

"That actually does seem beneficial, really, as they are gunna take notice now." Ramaxon agrees

"Well. What are you waiting for?" Kludd asks

"Huh?" Ramaxon says, confused

Kludd facewings, "Take soldiers and resistance members and attack those two kingdoms, you idiot!"

"Alright, alright. Just making sure." Ramaxon says, defending himself

He then takes off and Kludd then goes back to where Nyra is still asleep, even if it is after 9:30. She, unlike Kludd doesn't have strange sleeping habits, but the only thing she has is that she can sleep in all the time unless she finds a way to wake up. He then comes behind his fiancée and plants a kiss on her head, before resting his head on hers.

"What have you done?" Nyra asks

"Let's just say that my message won't be taken for granted." Kludd replies, moving off her as she sits up "And while we handle the Guardians, let's just say that a grouping has begun."

Two Groups of Pure Ones and those of who are the traitors of Tyto Resistance, head to the designated kingdoms which boarder Tyto Forest. In Ambala, Merissa Kin is in the middle of a senate address as they are as usual having a meeting either complaining about something or just about issues within the kingdom. She is mid-sentence when the alarm is raised that Pure Ones have been sighted in the east of the kingdom. The senate then is evacuated, as there was a massacre, which happened a fair, time ago, which almost killed everyone in the palace. Which means for the Queen Dowager of Ambala and her daughter, Sabyna, are hiding out underneath the palace with their guard.

In Silverveil, the citizens are sent into a scramble as they're causing trouble, the Guardian outpost is called into action with the kingdom's army, as they have to stop them from setting the forest alight, kidnapping owlets and etc. Ramaxon is flying around knowing that he has done what he could for Kludd to get the attention of the Guardians, which brings him one-step closer to what he wants to do, kill Sienne Daube.

* * *

Over in Ga'Hoole, news of the Pure Ones and the traitors' attacks upon the kingdoms and gathers the Inner Circle again, as they still have to brief things as the higher ups before bringing it up in an emergency gathering of parliament. This time, Barran, Ezylryb and Autumn were called out of classes, leaving their students very confused and doing textbook work. Of course, Sienne was just at the library herself, as she has actually been staying in the spare room of Ezylryb and Autumn's hollow since being released from the infirmary in good health, but with stiches remaining and bandages still on.

"So good you all came quickly." Boron says while going through letters and scrolls

"When I heard the word, "Ambala", I was immediately worried. Is my sister in law and niece alright?" Autumn asks

"Yes, fine and well." Boron answers before finding a letter

Autumn breathes a sigh of relief, "Oh thank goodness…"

"So what is the latest?" Barran asks her husband

"The Pure Ones and Ramaxon traitors attacked the kingdoms and the Ambalan and Silverveil governments have sent the minutes of their meeting in a letter." Boron explains, "The Ambalan Senators want the Queen Dowager to press forward with a counterattack, some of them agreed, some disagreed and then said that it is ours, Ga'Hoole and the UKO's problem to deal with it. The King of Silverveil thinks the same, the last part, though our outpost at Cape Glaux was involved and asked that we just remain there. Which we will."

"So, in simplicity, most of Ambala is divided upon either remaining non-involved, or having their strong-as army pretty much retaliate, or just letting someone else handle it and Silverveil is mostly is the same, deciding whether to get involved or not and just asking if our alliance stays the same," Ezylryb sums it up

"Anyway, we will make a decision during Parliament regarding this, as we must make a decision as a kingdom." Boron then says, while writing things down, "Sienne, you are welcome to attend as you are Tyto Forest's UKO Senator."

"I just might, as this is about my kingdom and how those bastards are screwing things up." Sienne says with a nod of her head

"Alright, spread the word of the emergency parliament. Barran, tell the GTA students that they can go home, that will allow all of the rybs to attend without worrying of their classes. Oh, and someone make sure to tell the members of The Band to attend as well." Boron orders

They dismiss the short Inner Circle meeting, as they are having the Parliament within the hour. Barran announces that GTA students are to be sent home, as the meeting may take a while and the rybs then just set them homework anyway. The members of The Band are in their chaw placements in which they have been placed in with some of the Senior Year GTA students, as well as First Year and Second Year GTA graduates. Soren, Gylfie, Digger and Twilight may be full-fledged, but they still have to continue their training, like the students who graduated the Guardian Training Academy.

Boron enters as the parliament has gathered, with the reports coming every hour of Pure One activity in Rosewood, it is pointing towards an attack. And from what the assumption is at this point, It might be on one of the surrounding kingdoms. Silverveil being more at risk than Ambala is because of their outpost on the mainlands being there.

"The Pure Ones have gone far enough, their leader, Metalbeak has gone enough." Boron says while entering the room, "I thank you all for coming so quickly, as chaos is coming within the hours."

"We had to make a decision as a kingdom, not as the Inner Circle." Barran briefly explains

The minutes of the meetings as well as the recent events are gone over within the next ten minutes, as half of the parliament calls for them to take them out before they even leave Rosewood and the other half are actually asking for a "wait and see" approach to things. As they continue the argument between themselves that waiting and seeing could actually be pretty useless and that they could attack without it being prevented. Had enough, Autumn then turns to Boron and nods, who then brigs the Parliament to order.

"Listen, here's the thing. We are all are at risk of the Pure One and traitors attacking and taking out all of us as they could find out where we are. The kingdoms are under threat of a force that is very hard to combat, as anyone from Rosewood are actually trained to be stronger than Pure Ones and to a lengthy extent in which their small group is just as strong as the hundreds of us. Just ask Senator Daube." Autumn states as she promptly gets to the point

"It is true." Sienne confirms

"So with the extra force on the Pure Ones' side, we could effectively be taken out. As a compromise, you must consider waiting for the right time and then doing a pre-emptive attack upon their base, taking out most defences before finishing them off." Autumn adds onto what she had said previously, "And we must consider our options otherwise as not just the surrounding kingdoms are in jeopardy of being attacked and overrun, the Great Tree is also within the firing line!"

"Be that as it may, it still seems unwise to lead an attack." One of the Guardians disproves

That remark sparks another backwards and forward agreement between the members, some agreeing, some disagreeing and as for one member, utterly silent. Soren remains utterly silent as he doesn't know what to do, but he doesn't want to go to war with his own brother. They do not know about the secret, only a few (**Autumn and Ezylryb, Soren's family and the rest of The Band**) know of it, but he wouldn't know how to ague the matter when Kludd's pretty much turned into a demonic bastard.

"Order in the parliament." Boron says before the room becomes silent, "Well, to make sure of any threat which could be combatted now before they are too strong to, I move for us to attack Rosewood. Autumn, write to the UKO and tell them that we are in alliance, we could use the extra help."

"Yes, your majesty." Autumn says before leaving

"All of you, be ready for the forthcoming nights. This is a time of sure uncertainty and if sometime we are to call arms, do so." Barran then says from beside her husband "Parliament dismissed."

Boron then bangs the gavel and everyone heads out, Soren then leaves suddenly as Gylfie, Digger and Twilight share the same look on their faces, before they run after their friend, as they do know what he is upset about. Barran then leaves herself, kissing Boron's cheek and saying that she's going to supervise study. She told the Juniors, Middles and Ocean Class in Senior to go home, but she told her and Boron's class, Moon Master Class, to have study in the library, and the usual rules, no talking and no waging. The only remaining owls in the room are Boron and Ezylryb by the time the queen leaves out the side door.

"Is she always this right?" Boron enquires with a turn of his head towards his adviser

"Who, Autumn?" Ezylryb asks back

"Yes, she's quite the forward thinker when it comes to the situation. Hagsmire, I know she's good with the political and personal stance upon Pure One related violence, but… Her speech was quite amazing." Boron explains

"That is why I love her, Boron. For a girl of her calibre, being the Princesse de Ambala, which obviously translates to Princess of Ambala, and her small size, she is a skilled fighter, brilliant diplomat and really, any woman that would give my own life for is a keeper." Ezylryb then says before a thought, "Of course, even if I didn't have this undying love for her, I do have to make an honest woman of her, since that night..."

"Oh yes, I remember when Barran heard about you deflowering the Princess of Ambala." Boron deviously laughs, before falling backwards of his perch "Her face was priceless…"

"Wish I saw it then." Ezylryb says, also supporting a laugh because Barran can pull some very… impressive facial expressions at the given moment.

* * *

Over in Rosewood, Kludd is pacing about the meeting room of the Tyto Resistance base that Ramaxon had taken over which was two and a half weeks ago. Elanore is merely passing time by reading and Nyra is doing some embroidering. As for Commander Ramaxon… He is not present as he is out in the courtyard waiting for news from one of the "guards" that followed Sienne to Ga'Hoole, who has been spying for him on the condition of the UKO senator and one of his worst enemies.

The lookouts at the Rosewood Community/Tyto Forest and The Beaks boarder are watching carefully for who could be coming. Especially if they are the opposing side, such as the Guardians, or the armies from the two kingdoms they attacked or even the resistance members that would want to overthrow them with Bryony, but since she is in hiding, they doubt it.

The spy flies through the boarder without them thinking to check who they are. They then fly up to the courtyard and land before Ramaxon.

"Speak." Ramaxon orders promptly, "What is the news around Ga'Hoole and withholding information will lead to Lord Kludd getting a little angry."

"Well, Lord Metalbeak will be pleased to hear this." The spy says (**Do note that most will call him by his alias, ok**)

Kludd then approaches the window and then looks to the girls, "I guess we have news."

"Hopefully that bastard will extend us the kind curtsey to tell us what is going on." Elanore utters with a roll of her eyes

"Well, if he does not extend us this curtsey, I will make him tell us." Nyra says while focused on her work

Ramaxon is then seen by Kludd to be walking inside the base and they wait for the answers to come, or the Widow Queen Nyra will obvious have her way with him… In other words, he'll get the guts kicked out of him and threatened to have the alliance to be broken, as Kludd said that if he doesn't stay true to his word, he 'd cop it. On cue, Ramaxon enters supporting a satisfied smirk.

"So, What is the latest?" Kludd impatiently asks

"Well, Lord Kludd and his ladies of the second in command, I have news. The Guardians are considering taking us on. Great, isn't it?" Ramaxon reports while taking a seat and Nyra and Elanore stare at him with disproval

"It is great, it truly is." Kludd smiles

"Then why are those ladies staring at me like they would want my head decapitated?" Ramaxon asks

"They do not trust you." Kludd simply says before laughing and turning to Nyra and Elanore, "You're scaring him, girls."

"That's the point." Nyra chuckles

Kludd has been thinking of his plans and the only way he is ever going to take down the Guardians is like hunting. There is always a way to catch and kill your prey, that is what Kludd says to his board of higher members. He then plans a double assault… One in Rosewood and one… Well, he doesn't want to say where yet, but they will need build their army to be strong enough to even want to go there and put up a fight. He then says that they will have a group here in Rosewood and another meeting in another place, possibly at Cape Glaux over in Silverveil. Elanore protests as there is a Guardian base near there and Kludd then says that it is a covert mission.

They are in the middle of some mapping before Ramaxon is called elsewhere, calling the meeting to an end for now. Kludd then says to Elanore to work out what they will do about moving some of the soldiers without causing alarm for the Guardians and the rest who would have patrols on their boarders and otherwise heightened security because of this Pure One thing ended up going public when the UKO and the OWER got involved. She says that she will do her best, as it might take a bit of time.


	10. Chapter 10: Family Revelations

Chapter 10: Family Revelations

Marella Canner, as a housewife and mother of two, well, counting Kludd it is three, but… she knows that he has made his mind up in a sense, is carrying around a basket of laundry that she and Mrs P. have washed and then dried during the daylight hours. Nothing much really, just assorted things and a few of Eglantine's school scarves, yellow and have either an embroidered crest on one of the ends and usually held with a scarf pin, which can have the school emblem on it or just a silver one. And she asks Noctus to help her put away things, after they are folded, however… it seems he wouldn't know the first thing as to where most of the things go, as really, he never usually handles the housework, since that is more of Marella and Mrs P.'s department.

"Alright, where do these go?" Noctus asks while holding some scarves that obviously aren't Eglantine's school ones

"In Soren's room." Marella replies while handling the folding

Noctus heads into Soren's room, which is the only thing at the moment he knows as to where it is and as he opens the closet, scrolls with the Pure One crest printed on the back of them fall out. Placing the scarves away at the same time, he picks up one of the scrolls and starts reading, to his shock it contains the handwriting of… Kludd?

"Marella, come here, right now!" Noctus demands with urgency "I found something."

"Oh Glaux, it better not be what I think it is…" Marella says from down the hall

"No, dear. It is not a suicide note." He says with a roll of his eyes, "Wait, why would you think that?"

"No reason." She awkwardly replies as she enters the room "Now, what is it?"

Noctus hands her the scroll, she starts reading, murmuring most of the words, and her expression turns from slightly embarrassed to shock. Marella then looks to Noctus with a worried and shocked expression before sinking to the floor, as she knows Kludd's handwriting and the occasional curse word being in there confirms it. They have not heard any news, well, Noctus has not, of Kludd since three weeks ago, and that was the night after his birthday, back in August.

"He has been hiding things from us, Marella." Noctus briefly says

A small portrait drawing falls out of the scroll and they pick it up, it is a picture of Kludd and his now fiancée, Nyra. They know that he now wears a mask over the burns which remain since that night, as Soren told them what happened months ago, that comes as no surprise. However, the one thing that perturbs Noctus is the girl; he had read the caption…

_"Me and my beloved queen, Nyra. Upon the night I asked her to become my wife. She said yes, she cried with tears down her face and said, yes."_

Moreover, seeing that face, he knows who she is. Something that he has ever told Soren (**he does know about it now from his excursion to Rosewood months** **ago**) and Kludd is that when they were younger, Tyto Forest (mainly Rosewood) was once at war with the Pure Ones. After their monarchy was destroyed, the Charid rulers went into hiding, some say that the Pure Ones killed them, some say that there may be a few left and may have escaped over the boarder to one of the other kingdoms. Anyway, there were Pure Ones warring with the Tyto Resistance in Rosewood, Tyto Forest and leading them was her… Nyra. This was eight years ago, Nyra herself being only 18 and Ramaxon Pettit, that traitorous bastard, was pretty much second in command of the Pure One side.

"This must be the girl he wants to marry." Marella says as she looks at the picture, "She is a beautiful girl."

"Beautiful nothing, Marella. She is the queen of the Pure Ones! She is the widow of that bastard Metalbeak who was trying to take over Tyto during the Rosewood Siege, whom our son was brave enough to destroy, doing all of us a favour. How dare he choose that… that… harlot as his fiancée!" Noctus roars

"Well… I don't know what to think…" She says

"Soren has a lot of explaining to do when he gets home. A LOT of explaining." He says before leaving the room with the evidence

Marella picks up the image and then takes it into her room and places it in the frame of the mirror, where there is a portrait of Kludd, and his siblings (**Soren and Eglantine**) of when they were younger. He keeps these portraits here, as they are precious memories, especially of the kids. She does not know whether to agree with Noctus, that Nyra is a bad woman, but Soren has told her how caring she can be, as she was the one who cared for her boy while he was sick. She does know that the Pure Ones are capable of such despicable evil however, what matters is Kludd's happiness.

"Soren has some explaining to do… Especially as to why he has not told us anything. Of course, after he has his training lesion he is going on a double date." Marella sighs

"Marella, you're going to be late." Mrs P. reminds her

"Oh, the time surely flies fast…" Marella mutters

Marella then heads out of the hollow to go and pick Eglantine up from school.

* * *

Trying to keep the peace between the two main girls in his life has been hard. It seems that Otulissa and Gylfie can never seem to get along and their fights happen often. Soren had said that he is taking Otulissa out on a date and his scheming begun, as he asked Digger if he and Gylfie would double date, which ended up planned for tonight, an hour after they get off their chaw duties. He girls obviously do not know about this, they just think that their boyfriends are just taking them out on a date.

When they arrive, they pull their boyfriends aside suddenly and they ask what she (whether it be Otulissa or Gylfie) are doing here and then Soren just says to Otulissa that this is for her own good and then tells her to behave.

"Aren't you going to join us?" Soren asks aiming toward Gylfie the most

Gylfie then rolls her eyes. Watching from the sidelines, two of the higher authority within Ga'Hoole, who understand highly this sort of behaviour, as they are within the age bracket of GTA teenagers, though being more mature and three of them full-fledged. They heard of their little feud and the occasional spats, occurring whenever the group are together. If this does not find a way to stop them from always complaining about the other and making snide remarks, Barran and Autumn will mediate in a way that means they have to do a bonding activity.

Digger is as per usual scoffing down his food, Gylfie has been teaching him better, but learning does take time and practice. Since they are in the middle of having to catch up five years of missed GTA training, the lesson of table manners sticking may be out of the equation for some time until their mentors, the rybs deem that they are not in the "learning stage". Gylfie herself may be the first of the four to get out of this so-called "learning stage".

"Some habits never change." Gylfie says slightly amused

"That is so much like Soren when he zones out suddenly." Otulissa says, "I keep telling him not to, but he does it anyway."

"Oh my Glaux, just like Digger." Gylfie says, agreeing

They then share a laugh, as Soren does have a few moments where he just zones out and it is quite funny when he realises and snaps out of it. Especially the other night where they were talking about something and then Soren zoned out and when they decided to ask him something, he just realised it.

"Ok, you actually got along for once." Soren then says, "See, it isn't hard at all."

They then shut up and then look away from each other in awkwardness, as really, they do have things that irritate them about each other. It may be a slow and otherwise annoying process, but Soren is at least trying to get the girls to get along. As when you have to be the ones who watch and break up the fights that happen, you sort of do get annoyed after a while… Especially as girls do have the thing where they just throw insults back and forth.

After a while, Otulissa demands to Soren to take her home, and Gylfie does the same with Digger. They were agreeing for a few minutes, and then is just turned into a small-scale verbal war and then it just went silent. It was silent for when Soren took Otulissa home; she did not know whether to be angry with him or to be grateful he took her on a date. It's either slap him or kiss him good morn, and she does neither. Soren then just gets the picture and then heads home.

* * *

It is somewhat quiet in the Canner hollow, Eglantine playing quietly with her toys, Mrs P. expressing interest and asking Eglantine what is going on, Marella quietly doing some sewing and Noctus… Silently pacing back and forth, much to the annoyance to his wife who really doesn't like it when he paces, it just annoys her. Since earlier, it has been chaos and amuck around the Canner household since they found those scrolls. However, no fighting between the parents as they do not want to fight in front of their daughter. Really, they are just passing the time until Soren comes home when it is his curfew, which they set after the GTA party incident months ago.

The door then opens and Soren enters to this silence as everything just pauses for a moment. That means that something is wrong.

"Eglantine, honey, you should go and get ready for bed." Marella says to the youngest of the family

"Come along, dear." Mrs P. says to the young owlet

Eglantine picks up her toys and goes into her room, it is just about bedtime and well… they never want to have these sorts of discussions around a five year old, as she is too young to understand. The door closes behind the nestmaid snake, and it goes silent, and the deafening silence is a sign that his parents want to have a serious talk with him… OR worse, he's in trouble.

"Um… Am I in trouble?" Soren asks

"You have been hiding the fact that you have been talking with your traitorous bastard of a brother." Noctus replies, getting straight to the point

"Why didn't you tell us that you have been in contact with Kludd?" Marella asks her son, with a look of worry on her face "All along, you knew about Kludd's condition when he was sick and… about what happened on his birthday and there was a picture of his wife to be in the letter…"

"Well, ma, for a start, Kludd hates da and he didn't want anything to do with you lot until it was time…" Soren starts to explain

"When he is married to that Pure One harlot widow of Metalbeak!" Noctus snaps, cutting across his words "Married to an older woman… the woman who made him who he is."

"He became who he was because of you, Da!" Soren shouts, butting back into the convocation, "You blame Nyra when all she was, was his teacher."

"A teacher he would have bloody mated with." The father snaps again

"Noctus!" Marella exclaims, shocked

"Kludd hasn't done anything like that!" Soren exclaims, also shocked of how he just suggested that Kludd would have done such a thing

"Now, hold on. This is getting out of hand." Marella says, placing down what she is working on and standing between her husband and her youngest son, "Soren, we do not blame you for hiding the truth, sometimes there is a reason to. And Noctus, you have been over-reacting since you first found them. Kludd made his choices, especially as to who he has decided to take as his mate whenever they feel it is necessary to. And from what I heard from Soren, underneath her allegiance to the Pure Ones and all of the darkness, she is actually very kind-hearted and loving."

"He is a traitor, he betrayed us. He turned against his own brother, he turned against our family and has disgraced us by become this "Metalbeak" alter ego of his." Noctus simply says

"It is you who is the disgrace of this family!" Soren suddenly shouts

"That's it!" Noctus roars, "I am going to snap some sense into that traitor!"

"What?!" Soren and Marella exclaim in unison

Noctus then retreats up the hallway and Marella follows behind him, Soren also follows as this is very bad, very bad. Rosewood is a long-time warzone, and the Pure Ones are stationed there with the resistance traitors… It's a very bad idea to go there… Kludd could have enough hatred to kill him or something!

"You can't go into a warzone!" Marella exclaims

"Da, Kludd will want to kill you! Think about this!" Soren reasons in the same amount of worry as his mother has

"Good, I would want to end him too." Noctus says

Soren grasps on his father's shoulders, "Da, you can't do this!"

"Soren, your brother is either coming home and giving up his stupid charade and leave those bastard Pure Ones as they were, in ruin OR he is going to be disowned." Noctus replies to his son, while pushing him off

"You are going too far!" Marella cries, almost about to break into tears unseen since months ago

"I've had enough, Marella. I've had enough." Noctus says to his wife

Without even saying goodbye, he then leaves and slams the front door hard enough it would snap in half, the loud bang echoing around the hollow. Marella sinks to the floor in a whimper before she starts wailing loudly. Soren kneels beside his mother, upset as well as this cannot be where things end, this cannot be where the family is torn in all sides because of the choice the eldest child made in his life.

"Oh, Soren… Why?" Marella wails

Soren wraps his wings around his tear stricken mother, "I know… I know…"

"Ma?" A little voice says

At the door to her bedroom, Eglantine is standing there with her doll under her wing.

"I heard yelling…" Eglantine says

"Go to bed, Eg." Soren says while their mother continues to cry, "You have school tomorrow night."

"Come on, dearie. Time for bed." Mrs P. says to the owlet as she ushers her away from the scene

Soren helps his mother to her feet and she wipes her eyes. He still holds her close, as he knows how bad this whole ordeal has been for her. She accepted Kludd's decisions, but it breaks her heart to hear that her firstborn is capable of such evil and now they might hear that Kludd could do such an evil deed if he had to… kill his own father. Soren would have tried to stop this somehow… but, he is needed more here, with his mother.

"Oh Soren… Everything is just going to Hagsmire…" Marella cries

"I know, Ma…" Soren says while trying to withhold tears himself "I know…"

Marella holds Soren close as he just starts crying himself… As everything just seems so dark now and there is nothing that they can do to stop this chaos, as it just seems to get worse by the hours. Kludd's going to rage war, his father's pretty much going to get himself killed by confronting Kludd who hates the guy more than he does him, his brother.

* * *

Over in Rosewood, unaware of who is going to be paying him a visit, Kludd is in a meeting with the higher ups, as every following night that may pass, they will soon launch their attack against the Guardians and from what they are planning, the Guardians really won't know what hit them.

"Upon the splitting of our forces…" Kludd says

Suddenly, a messenger from the boarder runs into the boardroom and then whispers into Kludd's ear slit. He nods accordingly and he just is frozen there for a moment or two… As the unexpected visitor is one he really didn't expect. Elanore is about to ask the High Tyto what is wrong before he runs out of the room suddenly, leaving very confused officials and Elanore deciding whether to tell Nyra or not.

Under the stern and otherwise threatening glares of the Pure One and Rosewood (traitors) owls glares, Noctus stands, surprisingly not threatened by the cronies of the bastard whose real name is Kludd, not Metalbeak. Kludd however, is surprised and yet somewhat fearful that his father is here, as really, he could have saved this whole confrontation for a completely different time. However, I wouldn't think fighting would good since he can tell his father is pissed off on a whole different level.

"What the hagsmire are you doing here?!" Kludd growls

"I could ask you the same question, _Kludd_." Noctus retorts, putting emphasis on his son's real name

"First, it's Metalbeak, and second, last I checked, you're on my hit list, you cunt." Kludd snaps

"Call of this retarded charade, Kludd. You are not Metalbeak, you are not the Lord High Tyto of the Pure Ones and…" Noctus says

Kludd interrupts, "No, I am not who I was. I am Lord Metalbeak, High Tyto of the Pure Ones and I am not an owlet anymore! I am 18 sprinking years old and I chose this over being around you and that idiot called Soren."

His father growls in annoyance "Will you just listen, or are you as petty as ever."

"No, you listen!" Kludd snaps with annoyance, "I was sick and tired of being in Soren's shadow. Sick of being the forgotten one. When fate made me fall into those fires, when I stumbled upon the crown that lay on the floor near the king, I made the choice. I made the choice to don the hem, to become their king. This who I am now and I am not going back to who I was!"

"You are pathetic to even have donned that crown and even before that you were a traitor to your siblings. You tried to kill your brother and moon blinked your sister!" Noctus says

"Soren can go to hagsmire! And as for my dear sister, dear sister Eglantine, she deserves better than to be around a bunch of Guardians." Kludd darkly chuckles

"You are believing in nothing more than beliefs created by the devil and reinforced by a harlot who is using you!" Noctus snaps with outrage

"How DARE you call Nyra such a word…!" Kludd yells, finally having enough of the nerve of his father, "That's it, that's it, if you do not leave within the next five minutes, father or not, I will kill you, I will bloody kill you."

"You're not my son!" Noctus snaps

He then pushes Kludd into the wall that is behind him before taking off. The guards are about to pursuit the owl who dares hurt their king, but Kludd calls them off with a wing gesture. He then gets up and fixes himself up, especially fixing his now lopsided helm.

"He can just go back to Ga'Hoole…" Kludd says before a dark chuckle, "Because by tomorrow, there will be no Great Tree and, as sure as hagsmire, there will be no more Guardians."

_"Correct, Kludd… Don't bother with those who made you weak… Disown them…" Mordecai whispers inside his head_

"Lord Mordecai, I will disown them… and disembowel Soren." Kludd darkly smiles while still looking in the direction in which his father had taken off to


	11. Chapter 11: Blood Roses in Rosewood

_I have something to say first, I have to credit my good friend, Shen's General, for writing this first scene, really. It was really amazing when I first read it, so now, I am sharing with you guys with a few tweaks added to it, but I kept pretty much all of the original dialogue. It was originally 500 words or so, but when I got to it, it became 1,300+, so… yeah._

_ It has been somewhat hard for me at the moment to write. Because of, first off, that bitch called Writer's Block we as fan fiction writers tend to get, second the decision weeks for what I'll do in the future in Year 11 and 12 of school and after that… and finally, these damn assignments they keep piling on me by the busload._

_Anyway, thanks to Shen for this first scene and I hope everyone enjoys it._

_-Lydea_

* * *

Chapter 11: Blood Roses in Rosewood

One in the afternoon, hours since the sun rose… It has been four hours since Soren had come home… Four hours since the fight began and ended with Noctus leaving the household and Marella plunged into tears that she has been bottling in since months ago when they first found out that their son was alive, donned a mask and became this alter ego called Metalbeak. The only one who has gone to sleep is Eglantine, as she has school this evening. She tried to ask what was going on, but they told her to go to bed. It has been three hours since an announcement has been made…

Marella and Soren sit in silence by the door, still sitting where his mother had fallen to her knees and cried, they stare worried and eyes affixed at the front door. They have been sitting there since after Noctus left, as he was literally going to a zone of no return and Marella has not moved from her spot. As Soren knows Kludd has hate in his heart toward their father, he knows what could possibly occur. He prays that it is not so that Kludd would have done such a horrid deed…

Sparing their worries, the door opens and much to their relief, Noctus then enters, unharmed and only supporting a grim and peevish expression.

"Da!" Soren says jumping up from the floor

"Noctus! Are you alright? I was so worried." Marella asks, as she also gets up off the ground

They hear no answer.

"Da, what were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed." Soren asks, stressing the point of his father just leaving to go to the Pure-One-infested Rosewood.

"There are worse things." Noctus briefly says

"What are you talking about? Did you...did you see Kl-" Soren asks

"Don't you dare say his name!" Noctus snaps, upon hearing the first syllable

"Dear… What happened?" Marella asks, with a lot of worry making her voice shaky

Noctus sighs, "He… He made his choice..."

"What? What do you mean?" Soren asks

They again hear no answer, as if he was trying not have to relive the events of the confrontation repeatedly. Noctus then just walks away down the hall, following behind with concern his wife and youngest son, questions looming on their mind about the events that had thrown down. Upon entering the master bedroom, the one thing that does stand out the most is the dressing table that Marella has these portraits displayed on. What stands out the most is the last portrait before… the incidents happened. Especially before half his face burned to have permanently charred feathers as its aftermath, before he first placed on Metalbeak's helm. The original Kludd…

As Soren and Marella stand at the doorway, Noctus has the portrait in his claw and within a few seconds, it is thrown against the wall on the other side of the room, breaking the top and one of the sides of the frame upon impact. Marella covers her beak with her wing.

"Da, what are you doing?!" Soren asks, eyeing the damage he has done to one of the remaining portraits of his brother before the damage was done

"I meant what I said about disowning him! If he rather spend his time being a traitor and running off with that whore of his...he is not my son." Noctus snaps viciously as he approaches the broken framed portrait, about to finish it off

"No!" Soren exclaims

Soren then tackles his father, and the portrait is sent out of his claw and halfway across the room.

"Soren!" His mother yells in reaction

"Get off me!" Noctus orders, before pushing his son off

Soren stumbles for a bit, before getting his balance together and adapts a battle stance like his father immediately had done after getting up.

"Boys, please!" Marella begs, as she tries to mediate

"Why are you so willing to protect him, Soren? He made his choice! He is not a part of our family...not anymore!" Noctus asks his son

"Simple...because he is MY FAMILY! Because I am the only one that gives a damn about him!" Soren retorts

"WHAT?! Are you insinuating that I didn't love him?!" Noctus exclaims, outraged

"YES! You never loved Kludd. Not you, not ma…" Soren says, before a pause and his mother gasps with shock, "Not even Mrs P...and Eglantine...she's too young to understand this..."

"That is all lies! I did love him! We all did!" Noctus yells, disagreeing with what his son is saying

"Really?" Soren says, putting emphasis upon his words, "Then name one good memory you had with him! One of only you and him!"

The room falls silent suddenly as Soren finished his sentence. Noctus then tries to prove that he has a memory, but upon remembering the 18 years that Kludd has been alive, nothing can be recalled. No memories, none. Hell, if anything, I would not think the day that Kludd was born would suffice in this situation.

"Soren...please…" Marella softly begs, barely breaking the silence

"No...Because da may had given up on Kludd...but I hadn't!" Soren says, building to a crescendo in the last few words

"You're… You're wrong…" Noctus manages to get out of his beak

"Am I da?" Soren asks, blinking rapidly as tears form in his eyes, "Kludd only wanted you to be proud of him...and if you couldn't give it to him...then maybe he is better off with the Pure Ones."

Noctus snaps out of his speechless stupor and then glares at his son, "Kludd...is dead to me. You will not write him again...you will not speak of him...again...do I make myself clear?"

"Fine..." Soren says quietly, as then his words get louder every few seconds and gulping down tears, "You can be a bastard and give up on him all you want...but I will NEVER give up on him...because he is still my brother...and like it or not...he is still your son. If you disown Kludd as a son...then I disown you as a father!"

Noctus and Marella gasped, as Soren then runs out of the room tear stricken and then an audible slam of the front door is heard. Noctus falls to his knees in shock, as he never… Never would have expected his, pretty much now, only son to say those last few words. Marella stands there at the door of the room, with a sharp glare on her face.

"Nicely done, Noctus." Marella sarcastically applauds, glaring straight at him, "You had not only pushed away our eldest son forever...but you pushed away our other son."

She then leaves the room before turning back.

"And for your information...I hadn't given up on him either." Marella simply states

She then leaves, going out to the lounge room, leaving her husband alone in the bedroom, which has pieces of the wood of the broken picture frame around. He then looks at the picture of Kludd; his very likeness depicted so well as if he was seeing this former image of him right in front of him. He is about to lay waste on the image, taking it out of its shattered frame to shred it… but he stops. Tears well in his eyes, while he just stares upon the image of what was his son, before he was corrupted, before he had gotten the battle scars…

_"If you disown Kludd as a son...then I disown you as a father!" Soren's voice echoes in his head…_

"Kludd…" Noctus utters, tears falling, "I am so sorry…"

Soren sits outside the hollow for an hour, his tears just seem to keep falling as the relations are going to hagsmire and back… Without having to walk through the feud-torn house, as it just seems to be like a warzone now, Soren heads to his window and then opens it and then crawls into his room, collapsing on his bed. It is only a few hours before dusk, when the Guardians are gathering in City Centre to leave to uphold an oath they all made… It was made official last night, as sometime after Princess Autumn of Ambala wrote to their sister organisation, the United Kingdoms of Owl, who control the Owl World Elite Resistance, announcing their alliance, the reply came within four hours and the announcement was made. They shall call up arms and leave before the moon rises upon the sea.

Soren cannot sleep… As he does not want to go to war with his own brother, there has to be another way, but the path just does not seem that clear. It is three when he finally drifts off to sleep, blacking out so suddenly without even knowing it, into a world where his dreams did show him a harrowing dream. He tosses and turns having another one of these strange dreams… showing him a battle on the Guardian's doorstep, his brother standing before him and he then wakes up when he feels sudden pain in his chest.

Soren wakes up, caked in sweat and breathing heavily, he then looks out the window… Dusk

* * *

It is very quiet when Soren exits his room. The door to his parents room shut, and Eglantine's door slightly open. Either way, for the early evening, it is silent. And as Soren moves through the hallway, the only noise breaking this silence is the metallic clinks of the battle claws. On his way out, in the corner of his eye, he sees the family portrait that hangs on the wall.

_"He is too far gone…" Soren says before a sigh, "But, I will never give up on him."_

"Where are you going?" a small voice asks

Soren turns to see his little sister, Eglantine standing nearby her door.

"I'm flying into a battle, Eg." Soren replies simply

"Will Lyze of Kiel go too?" She asks (**Eglantine often calls Ezylryb that, obviously because of the story that was always told**)

Soren pats his little sister on her head, "Of course, Eg. He will, he will. All Guardians take an oath…"

"What's an oath?" Eglantine interrupts

"An oath, Eglantine, is a special promise. Most Guardians take a special oath upon the graduation from the GTA. They graduate higher schooling as well have years of Guardian training mastered." Someone says

Soren looks behind him and his girlfriend, Otulissa, enters the hollow. Soren welcomes her here with a hug and a kiss on her cheek, but he, like his little sister, did not expect her to be up at this ungodly hour of the evening. However, she is a GTA student in the highest class of the Middle Years; so really, she would be up by this time and at training. However, it is cancelled for tonight as well as GTA classes, which has been turned into homework/study, and this probably will continue for the following nights, as most of all the rybs will be absent from Ga'Hoole.

"Hi." Eglantine chirps

"You're up rather early, Eglantine." Otulissa says, "Mind if I talk with your brother now?"

"Ok." The owlet replies

Eglantine then decides to leave them alone as she then goes to her room to start getting ready for school herself. Soren then opens the front door and Otulissa, getting the picture, steps outside with him. They are sitting outside the hollow, watching the sunset and the winds have picked up dramatically, leaves, which have fallen off the tree blow about effortlessly. It is tranquil, as all they can hear are the waves crashing against the rocks at the lower regions of the Isle of Hoole, that and…

"Soren, I want you to be careful." Otulissa says, "I did some reading about the Rosewood Community and I had asked their Madame Commander and she had told me of their skills. They are almost stronger than the Pure Ones, _The Pure Ones_."

"Otulissa, I'll be fine. You do not need to worry. I'm pretty sure that we won't be near any water whatsoever being inland." Soren assures her, "It's unlikely that I'll drown…"

"But, still." She complains

"Don't tell me that you are staying up studying again." He says

"I have a major test in two weeks, Soren." She says, defending her choices

"Well, since you don't have GTA do me a favour and get some sleep, alright. I can tell you are sleepy because you have this real whiny tone when you complain." Soren says

"I do not!" Otulissa replies, proving his point that she is quite whiny

"Yes, you do." Soren says before a sigh, "I could go on all night, but I have to go and you need a sleep-in."

"Well, I'll see you when I see you." Otulissa says

She then kisses his cheek and he then picks up his helm and flies away. Otulissa sighs, as yet again, her boyfriend goes into battle and she is stuck reading over her notes as a pupil of the Guardian Training Academy. She knows her graduation is in due time, as she is almost nearing the end of Middle Year 2 and after that is Senior.

* * *

Down in City Centre, everyone is pretty much starting to gather, and in this ungodly hour of the evening, you would expect sleepyheads. One of them had trouble with her outfit this evening. Autumn is standing in City Centre with her fiancé, Ezylryb and unlike him, she is not going to battle. There are some times where things are too dangerous, especially this time when the Rosewood Owls are generally a strong bunch of toughies and they are on the opposing side.

"It's a very early evening, hmm?" Ezylryb says while fixing Autumn's crown, kissing her head before flipping her hood over her head, "I know you are disappointed, but… It's too dangerous to follow."

Autumn yawns delicately, "I understand… And for that I will be praying for your safety."

"You're a sweetheart, you know." Ezylryb says, taking her wings into his own, "You are going to be tutoring students while we fight a battle. Usually when students are set homework study most of the rybs rather would take a breather."

She smiles, "I help in every way I can, my dear Lyze of Kiel. While you're out defending the kingdoms from the Pure Ones, supporting your battle regalia, I will be here teaching the next generation of Guardians."

"You always see the bright side of things, even when faced with the worst of times." He says while taking her in gentle embrace

"It was the only thing keeping me going during that time of lies and deception told by a traitor… Besides you." She whispers

A tender kiss is exchanged between the two, as this is a meaningful goodbye for now. Although it disappoints her to, she will stay behind, as it is for the best that she stays out of harm's way. After their beaks part, Autumn hugs her husband to be, resting her head on his chest.

"Not even a minute… and I…" Autumn mutters

"You mayn't be my wife yet, but you worry like one." Ezylryb says, knowing what she was saying

From the opposite end of the courtyard, Barran watches on with a smile. She finds it sweet their relationship, as she is a Princess who was not treated like she was one, by an owl of her own blood and by the traitor who used her for her kingdom. The only one who could possibly care about her being this warrior legend who never knew that three years after they initially met, he would fall for her. Barran finds it as romantic as how she and Boron ended up together, two aristocrat teenagers not even allowed to be near each other because of a long-standing feud… and they were right to do so as they now know the true colours of Boron's father, Alexander Nyctea. Wearing a medal of the Pure One insignia on his badge with lies pinned to it.

Barran walks over, "Ezylryb, I hate to interrupt, but Boron wants to see you."

"I don't know why, but I knew I would have to see him." Ezylryb says

"It's predictable, my love." Autumn says

Ezylryb kisses Autumn's cheek and then heads off, as per usual, it wrecks the moment. Not that Boron would do it on purpose, but it is just a matter of bad timing. Worse, the last few nights, they have had to drop what they are doing, well… anything except the breakable china that Autumn was balancing on her head when they were goofing off, and deal with the developing crisis, night by night that it has been unfolding.

Autumn gets out her fan and giggles as she flutters it with swift actions of her claw.

"Now why are you so amused, sister?" Barran asks

"Because, ta sœur, I may be dreadfully tired myself, but he put my crown on lopsided." Autumn says before a fit of giggles, "I will not know if he would manage wearing one himself if he puts mine on lopsided."

"Huh? I thought she would not give him the title of…" Barran stutters

"Prince of Ambala. She is, she wrote to me last night and said so. The senate protested, but Merissa is the Queen Dowager, so she has supreme rule." Autumn answers, looking upon Ezylryb in the distance, who is speaking with Boron, and she beams a sweet smile underneath her fan, "And a mighty fine Prince he is already, without the crown…"

* * *

Soren is standing in City Centre nearby the rest of The Band. Since hearing the announcement, they are reluctant to fight their friend's brother, sharing the same reluctance as Soren, as war cannot be the answer and he wants Kludd to turn a corner and come home before it is too late to do so. If anything, this second excursion to Rosewood shall be one in which he wishes he could stop the monster his brother has become.

Soren feels a tap on his shoulder, his parents are standing behind him.

"I thought you both were asleep." Soren says, in a monotone, expressing no emotion whatsoever

"Your girlfriend woke us up. She was worried about you and I didn't know about this." Noctus says, referring to the call of arms

"Soren… Will you… you hurt Kludd?" Marella asks

"No, ma. Unlike what they may do, I will not hurt Kludd. I want to reason with him." Soren replies, to his worried mother, "I know you won't like it Da, after your little speech last night, but I am going to make Kludd come home. One way or another, I will talk with him and… However he may be now, he is not dark-hearted…"

Noctus says nothing while Marella has a sad stare on her face.

"Blood is thicker than water." Soren merely says

Noctus hugs Soren suddenly, holding him close. Since that fight… It was a long night for the parents, not just Soren. Marella sat in the lounge room for hours, doing the one thing that keeps her mind off things… knitting. On the other hand, in the bedroom, Noctus spent the night with regret and sorrow. They both did not get to bed until late, like Soren did.

"I'm sorry…" Noctus says, "I shouldn't have gone to Rosewood... I have just made things worse and he… he is too far-gone now. I don't want to lose you too, Soren."

"I'll do what I can, Da. I won't resort to violence." Soren says, "I won't give up on my brother… I will never give up on him."

In moment's time, the Guardians take to the air. Soren looks over his shoulder to see his parents down below on the platform gazing up at him, and he knows they are as worried as he is about Kludd, especially if he is in a mood since last evening's little fiasco.

_"Oh Soren…" Marella thinks to herself, while she has a tear down her face, "Rescue your brother..."_

In the background of City Centre, Autumn clutches her necklace with one of her claws and worry and dread have already come to mind as she watches the Guardian battalion head off into this battle. She then opens her fan and keeps it in front of her face as tears fall from her eyes…

_"I worry already… And it hasn't been a minute." Autumn says in her thoughts "May you return safely, and may the gods watch over you for me until you return and I bloody as hagsmire give you the biggest of hugs…"_

Sienne comes beside Autumn and then holds her friend in a hug, she knows how worried she is since the Pure Ones have strong allies and she knows those who have changed to Ramaxon's side, and they are traitors to the Tyto Resistance. And they are a strong bunch of bastards capable of things that give the Pure Ones a fighting chance.

* * *

Over in Rosewood, as the owls prepare to engage in battle, Kludd is walking Nyra to the courtyard, with his wing around her. Her luggage is already waiting with the escort, she is being sent back to St. Aegolius, as Kludd wants for his Nyra to not be in the firing line, like she was verbally last night during his little row with his father. He hasn't told her about it, as she needs no need to be worried about anything to do with his family, which are a bunch of "Guardians" as he referred to them as.

"Honey, you have to go. I don't want to have you in the firing line, ok." Kludd says to his girlfriend

"Kludd, I can fight. I am not some… some… owlet who cannot defend herself." Nyra protests

"Honey, the Guardians are coming and I don't want you in the firing line." He sharply retorts, "Unlike Metalbeak I don't want to have my wife in the firing line where she could get killed. I am only sending you back because I love you, Nyra."

"I don't know how to answer to that…" She inadvertently says

"Nyra…" Kludd says as he takes her wings, as he pleas "Please go back to St. Aegolius."

Nyra sighs, "Like a good wife, well fiancée, I will stand behind my mate's decisions."

"Check up on the flowers, hmm? See how long they are until blooming on the day which will be our wedding." He says before holding Nyra in a hug and kissing her head, "You know I am doing this for the best."

"Yes… You love me." Nyra murmurs

They then break, Nyra and the security escort leave and Kludd watches on with a saddened smile, but he reminds himself that the Guardians shall not ever lay a talon on her, as he promised he would love, cherish and take care of her, and that means making sure Her Pureness stays unharmed. Until the wedding, she remains widow of her husband, Metalbeak, and until then, Kludd has to be sure that she doesn't get hurt, or a scroom would haunt the living hagsmire out of him. Well, it is uncertain, but if the Lord of all Darkness is able to come back from Hagsmire, a scroom could come from anywhere.

Elanore comes up beside Kludd.

"Go and join the rest over the boarder." Kludd briefly orders

Elanore nods then takes off the platform, initially going in the different direction as Nyra. Kludd stands there with a smirk on his face.

"My plan is coming together…" Kludd says to himself

_"It is only a matter of time before the Guardians and your pest of a brother Soren arrive…" Mordecai whispers inside his head_

Ramaxon then comes out of the Resistance base into the courtyard with his Pure One battle armour. He had hid them after the Pure Ones' attempts to take over Rosewood; during the siege that was named after it, that is which happened eight years ago. Kludd was nary an owlet of age 10 when it happened, and the southward Tyto Owls were wary of the conflict, thus why they lived in the southern areas.

"I hated being in that resistance. Bryony was a right bitch and Sienne… I sprinking hate her." Ramaxon mentions

"Humph, sounds like my brother…" Kludd says

* * *

Sure enough, even if the demonic god foretold it, the Guardians arrive by the dozen and sure enough, a battalion of Pure Ones and traitors to the good name of Rosewood are awaiting their arrival. Soren and his friends are in attack formation before Soren splits from the group to attack a Pure One soldier. Soren grabs it and then violently throws it, and unbeknownst to him, it hits Kludd, who is flying past. Thrown about like rag dolls, they both crash. Kludd slams hard into the tree and falls down some tree branches before stopping on one that breaks his fall.

Meanwhile, Ramaxon is taking out Guardians before passing in mid-air and hears something before dodging sneaks attacks made by the warrior legend who is doing Sienne and her niece a favour, getting rid of this jerk OR, turning him over to the UKO or Bryony. Ezylryb and Ramaxon lock swords.

"I do wonder what got into you, coward to fight and almost kill the Madame Commander." Ezylryb says

"I remembered who I was, Ramaxon Pettit, Captain of the Rosewood Tyto Pure One faction." Ramaxon announces

"You don't know what creating a diversion is, now do you?" Ezylryb says with a cocky smirk

"Wha-" Ramaxon utters before a loud bang noise

Ramaxon suddenly falls out of the sky, and Barran is standing behind him with a frypan in his claw and a smirk on her face.

"Well done, Little Lady Lynai." Ezylryb says (**See Legend of the Amulet of Power: Part II –Chapter 3**)

"Why thank you, Lord Cress." Barran smiles, amused as she had not heard that name since she was an owlet, before dropping the frypan, which has a dint in it, showing how she had hit him, on Ramaxon's head before flying off back into the battle.

Kludd gets up, wipes blood from his nose and then notices a slight gash on his leg, stinging like the fires of Hagsmire. He then eyes his brother, Soren, flying about in attack formation, following the Queen of Ga'Hoole, who moments earlier just knocked unconscious the Traitor of Rosewood. With searing anger of the sight of his brother and some adrenaline, he then pulls a tree branch off the tree and then lies straight toward Soren.

In a sudden second, Kludd swings the tree branch and it hits Soren hard, knocking him out of the sky and into a tree on the other side of the battlefield.

"You ingrate!" Kludd growls, while still holding his tree branch, "Why do you dare come here?!"

"It doesn't…" Soren says while getting up, "It doesn't have to be this way, Kludd."

"It will _always_ be this way, Soren." Kludd sneers, before throwing aside his branch, and then disappearing from his brother's sight by flying away "Never the way was it was for the Pure Ones and for me."

"It wasn't my fault, Kludd." Soren says, as he knows what two things Kludd is talking about

"Yes, It was…" Kludd snaps, "You fault for being born!"

Soren turns around as Kludd knocks him off the tree branch and sends him falling to the ground. Kludd then rapidly flies down and pins his younger brother to the ground, his battle claws slightly digging into his brother and otherwise his prey.

"There is kindness still in your heart, Kludd!" Soren shouts, while fraught with worry, and pleading look on his face "Remember who you were before we were kidnapped! Remember our childhood, Kludd… Remember how things before all of this started were! Before the legends and the before Battle of the Ice Claws was read to us."

Kludd raises his claw, ready to kill his brother with one swipe of his talon. He tries to muster the strength he needs to do this task, before tears start welling in his eyes as the memories return in flashes. He is about to lower it, but he can't, he can't. The tears start to fall before Kludd stops and gets off his brother.

"Kludd?" Soren utters

"Get lost…" Kludd quietly mutters, while tears flow from his eyes

"What?" Soren says

"I SAID GET LOST!" Kludd shouts at the top of his lungs

It echoes and everyone stops in their tracks suddenly upon hearing it. Guardians and Pure Ones all hovering where they are, looking down on the scene of the Pure One High Tyto and Soren, known to the Pure Ones as a traitor to the Tyto race, as well as the bastard who slain Metalbeak, their mighty king and husband of the Widow Queen. Boron looks to Ezylryb, his adviser, and nods, agreeing, as to what he is thinking.

"Guardians, fall back!" Boron orders simply, breaking the silence of the otherwise awkward moment

The Guardians then leave, Soren just looking at his brother before sighing and then leaving along with his comrades. Kludd then suddenly runs off into the forest, and when he feels he is far enough away, he bursts into tears, falling weak to his knees and throwing his helm aside as he looks at the image in the reflection of a puddle.

"Oh Glaux, Oh Glaux…" Kludd utters simply

Mordecai then appears in front of the now crying wreck that was earlier a determined, brave owl who wants to kill the Guardians as well as rid the world of the life of his brother.

"Oi, lad." Mordecai says, trying to gain his attention "What the sprink happened?"

"I couldn't do it, Lord Mordecai…" Kludd utters

"He used the mind trick, lad. He wanted you to remember, so the retched goodness in your heart would end up taking over, _making you remember who you were and then you would have to ditch the Pure Ones and your beloved Nyra and come home to a family who don't even love you_." Mordecai says, with mocking in the last few words, "Blech, wretched racdrops."

"You're right…" Kludd says, before gaining volume, "You're right!"

"He wants you to ditch Nyra, Kludd. He wants you to return to what was, weakness and being in his shadow." Mordecai then mentions, "He wants to bring back the pain which tormented you…"

"No, no… I will never go back to that weakling!" Kludd yells with determination, "And sure AS HAGSMIRE I am not going to leave Nyra! She is going to be my wife in a month and fourteen days!"

"Then fight, Kludd. You are an adult now, not an owlet. You are the King of my Pure Ones." Mordecai says, encouraging him more

"I am not that owlet anymore…" Kludd merely utters while placing his helm over his face

He then storms back to the battlefield, and Ramaxon has picked himself up, after awaking from being knocked unconscious by the Queen of Ga'Hoole wielding a fry pan, when he was distracted dealing with the Lyze of Kiel and his logic. He rubs his head, and is sort of regretting not wearing a helm now.

"Everyone, Pure Ones and resistance traitors, to the rendezvous point! Now!" Kludd promptly orders, now back to the mind frame he was before the fight began


	12. Chapter 12: The Siege of Ga'Hoole

Chapter 12: The Siege of Ga'Hoole

Unsettled waves crash against the shore, crashing against the cliffs on the coastline. The Sea of Hoolemere is unsettled this night, especially as the hellish owls known to all in this world, The Pure Ones are upon perched on the higher cliffs. The General stares upon the ocean, her dark red cape being picked up by the breeze in which comes off the sea beneath these cliffs. She contemplates thought, as the change of plans last evening had left her to change location of the rendezvous point to the shore of a beach in The Beaks.

Kludd lands nearby and Elanore turns her head, respectfully to acknowledge the presence of the Lord High Tyto, and just to see if that is Kludd, not just Morin again.

"How did it go?" Elanore asks

"Let's just say that the Guardians are distracted." Kludd replies, "So, has the hostage talked?"

"Let's just say that they are not as strong as they make out to be. Cracked like an egg." She replies, before turning to two soldiers, "Bring him forward."

Upon their attack in Silverveil a few days ago, they did capture a Guardian from the base there. Moreover, have been holding them hostage, especially as they will need directions to the next location where the battle will be. They had to use drastic measures to get the information out of the Guardian, but at least they are still alive, only with a few wounds, which have dried blood around them. They force them to kneel before Kludd and the general.

"Where is Ga'Hoole?" Elanore asks

The Guardian doesn't respond, that is until Elanore raises her claw, ready to him them again and that is when he breaks.

"East! East for an hour and a half from here." The Guardian yells, in a cowardly fashion

"Well, if you cower before a mere girl, than if you are lying expect to be drowned." Kludd says before a sinister chuckle, "Ready the army, Elanore, as for tonight will be the last night that the Guardians shall live."

"Yes, Lord Kludd." Elanore replies with a curtsey before flying off

* * *

In Ga'Hoole, it has been several hours since two thirds of the citizens had left. It is quiet while Autumn and three of her History students sit in City Centre in a tutoring session; the owlets are either at home, at the preschool or at the primary school. She leads a history lesson about the history of the Great Tree, hence why she is in City Centre now, before planning to head to the Great Hall and then to the Parliament Hollow.

Otulissa is walking around with some of her books; she was the one who woke up Soren's parents, as she was worried they didn't know what was going on. In addition, since her boyfriend had left, she found it hard to sleep in and hard to focus on the homework that has been set by their teachers.

"…And the kingdom is always growing each night that passes." Autumn says to the students before noting Otulissa, "Oh, Miss Perrin. How are you this evening dear?"

"Well, Miss Autumn, it has been hard to focus on my studies…" Otulissa replies

Autumn looks to her students, "May you please read the questions in your textbook relating to what I have said. Oh, Page 23 by the way, let me just have a word with Miss Perrin here."

The students do as they are told, getting out their textbooks and flipping to the page, while their ryb tends to the girl who shows signs of distress. She then takes Otulissa as to where they are out of earshot, which is just down by the landing area.

"Are you alright, Otulissa?" Autumn asks

"Not really, Miss Autumn. Soren has been acting strange and… Since this morning, I have been worried and… I think I am missing something." Otulissa explains

"Well, to say the least, his relationship with his parents has been tough lately…" Autumn says before a slight sigh, as she knows how bad these things can get

"Wait, you know?!" Otulissa exclaims, slightly mad that she would hide anything from her, the girlfriend

The smaller Spotted Owl ryb sighs, "No, not necessarily, dear. I was asleep when Soren had a word with my partner earlier this evening. I wouldn't have caught any or not much of the conversation."

"But you must know something, Miss Autumn. Last I checked, you have exemplary hearing and nothing surpasses you." Otulissa begs

"I apologise that I couldn't be of any help." Autumn says, with a sincere smile, "I can only hope that Soren may tell you what is going on."

Otulissa sighs deeply, "Yes, going through a third party seems wrong… Even if I were to pester Master Ezylryb upon the arrival return of the Guardians, I know that it is wrong."

Otulissa nods her head before walking away, and the ryb merely just sighs. She looks upon the unsettled ocean and she just knows that everything is just in trouble, the Canners are in a civil war and the world is in danger of the Pure One takeover. Even the moon has reacted with the changes that are occurring weather that is the moon phase or Goddess is making it that way with her emotions. Autumn then continues with her lesson, on her way around Ga'Hoole with some of her history students, royal guard following close behind. Autumn continue her lesion in the Main Hall, where a portrait of the Nyctea Family hangs.

"…And under the Nyctea family rule, if our king shall abdicate or die, our next in line, of course, is their son, Josh, The Prince of Ga'Hoole and his wife, her highness Queen Lydea of the North. The affiliation of these two great powers, Ga'Hoole and The Northern Kingdoms happened when the monarchy was restored…" Autumn lectures as she paces about

The doors burst open as a royal guard enters.

"Your Highness, the Guardians have returned." They inform her

Autumn looks to her students, "Continue this another time. Oh, and do some reading about treaties, affiliations and relations between Ga'Hoole and the five other kingdoms. However, since Kuneer and Tyto Forest's monarchies have been displaced just consult the books about their governing bodies. I suggest talking to Senator Sienne Daube about Rosewood/Tyto affiliation with the tree."

Autumn then runs off out of the room in a hurry as fast as her stubby little legs can carry her before taking flight and then landing on the path, and looking down on the landing area, where the Guardians are arriving back from the confrontation in Rosewood that was carried out. She only hopes that it went well and that her darling isn't hurt or worse.

* * *

Soren lands in City Centre a little shaken since earlier. Kludd wanted to kill him; he wanted to tear him to pieces, though they are blood. If the message didn't get through, he would have been dead and gone by now. When Otulissa hugs him, he just remains the same, shaken and horrified, not hugging back. Boron watches on, as since earlier, there may be some suspicions against the Barn Owl, Soren Canner, as he always seems to be of target to the owl calling himself Metalbeak.

"Soren, is something the matter?" Otulissa asks

"No, no. It's fine." Soren replies, sparing her the details of what happened "Just happy to see you."

The observant owl Boron then looks over to see his second in command and adviser Ezylryb lift Autumn into the air, as if it was effortless because of her small adolescent-like stature, spinning her around in the air before holding her close. Typical of them both to greet each other like so, but when in formal company, acting with maturity is wise.

Suddenly, interrupting the moment, a flaming arrow is fired at Boron, missing his head by a mere few centre metres. This draws their attention towards whom fired the arrow. Kludd and his Pure Ones hover above the landing platform.

"Well, well, well. Found you." Kludd says in a mocking tone

"Why have you come here? How did you even find the Great Tree?" Boron sharply retorts as him and as hundreds eyes peer up at him in a stern glare

"A little birdy lead me here." Kludd smugly replies

"You dare come here after what happened in Rosewood!" Barran snaps

"It was all a part of my plan… To destroy the Guardians!" Kludd replies, "Pure Ones attack!"

"Guardians, defend the Great Tree!" Boron orders

The Pure Ones lurch forward and the Guardians respond by taking quick to the air, to do something that has never been done before not even in the days of the founding, nor in the nights of the bloodiest battles imaginable, they have to defend their home. In the scatter, mothers with children and GTA students take cover, covered by the Royal Guard.

"Go inside, Autumn." Ezylryb says

"No." Autumn replies, drawing her katana, and immediately changing out of her cape and into her battle regalia in only four seconds, "We have to defend Ga'Hoole. I am not about to sit idly by while this kingdom is being threatened"

"Alright, but stick close to me." He then says, submitting to the fact that she is dead serious about this

"I will. Now come on!" She mutters

The duo of owls then take off into the battle, as she has idly promised, Autumn keeps close to Ezylryb as they take down Pure Ones and then take down Rosewood owls together, as it would be a duel effort on their part to take down those bastards. Soren is fighting a Pure One before Kludd flies toward him and barges him straight into the tree, landing on a branch just below.

"I trusted you, Kludd. I thought you had changed, I thought better of you, but then again you change your mind." Soren says

"Says the weakling who is afraid of his own dreams." Kludd retorts

Kludd then barges Soren, again, who then crashes into some more branches before falling on his face, in the middle of City Centre. Kludd lands, taking into battle stance as Soren struggles to get up after that fall, but manages to pull himself to his feet.

"Who are you orchestrating this, Kludd?" Soren asks as they circle around City Centre in battle stance, "Da has come to terms with this now, He is ashamed and sad, Kludd."

"I don't care." Kludd says before charging at Soren, who hits him before his brother grabs him and throws him against part of the Tree.

* * *

All the while, on the battlefield, the rest of The Band, are taking out the opposing side. Elanore, General of the Pure Ones, haphazardly bumps into Gylfie, sending them both disorientated before fixing things. They then flutter in mid-air, staring each other down.

"I thought owlets weren't allowed to be Guardians." Elanore sneers

"Speak for yourself, Pure One." Gylfie retorts

The two females start to fight, the small Elf Owl a little less of a match to the fourteen year old Pure One General who is from Rosewood originally. Elanore throws Gylfie like she is nothing more than a doll, to have her crash into a close by tree branch. Elanore chuckles to herself, as he opponent is no chance against her. That is before she is sneak attacked by the Elf Owl's boyfriend, taking her down from behind and sending her flying before slamming hard into the ground. Digger lands by Gylfie, and helps her up.

"You alright, Gylf?" Digger asks

"Yes, I am. Thank you." Gylfie replies

"It's what a boyfriend does, protect his girl like an um… what's that word…" He bravely says before losing train of thought.

* * *

Soren is finding it hard to stop the fight between him and his brother, as Kludd furiously attacks without even saying a word, while the younger of the brothers has to mediate, but all efforts seem to fail, and persistence may be out of the question when Kludd then taken his brother down, beating him senseless. Soren lies on the ground, struggling to get up and has scratches and bruises, as well as blood coming from his beak.

"Kludd… Stop…" Soren struggles to say "Why are you doing this, Kludd? You are destroying the family. Da hates you… Ma, she is merely masking the sorrow she has in her heart. Eglantine… I have to lie to her about her big brother, Kludd. And Otulissa, I have to hide the truth from her too... I have to lie to everyone! You may be evil, but you are my brother, so please stop this, Kludd."

"Not until you are dead, cunt." Kludd growls, before kicking Soren in the side

"Not if we stop you." A voice says

Soren looks behind him as Ezylryb and Autumn stare down Kludd, as they know who he is really, not this alter ego being the High Tyto of the Pure Ones. They were of witness to when Kludd's helm was removed, as well as when the truth came out that night in Rosewood months ago. If anything, back up at the moment just seems to be these two, since the rest of pretty much everyone else is preoccupied with the battle.

Kludd chuckles amusedly, "You have to be joking…"

"Master Ezylryb… P-Princess Autumn?" Soren struggles to say while lying on the ground dealing with the pain of being kicked in his side.

"I'll distract the traitor, you help Soren because I cannot lift or support that much." Autumn orders, earning a swift nod from her partner

Autumn then goes into battle stance and Kludd just goes with it, she's the one he tried to finish off last time, back in Rosewood months ago. Of course, she was tied up, but now, bravado and vigour, which has been enforced from the pep talk, is being the one reason as to why isn't realising what she's capable of. She's not called the Warrior Princess of Ambala for no reason.

Kludd lurches forward and Autumn goes over him, kicking him in the face, back of head and shoulder. He stumbles a bit as Autumn retains her stance and then he pounces again, but misses and cops a kick to his chest. In the background of that, Ezylryb helps his student, Soren, who is a little hurt and disorientated, up off the ground. Kludd sees this and throws Ezylryb into a tree branch, making Soren drop to the ground again.

Autumn comes at Kludd with her katana, he then knocks her to the ground and she rolls into the wall. Kludd takes the sword off the ground and swings it a bit. Soren manages to get up off the ground, gritting his beak to deal with the pain of being kicked, dropped and thrown and its toll on his body.

Kludd charges at Autumn, katana in his talons…

"Kludd, no!" Soren screeches as he starts to run

* * *

In the air, Elanore, recovered from when Digger frantically sent her smashing into the ground, is about to attack Strix Struma when a loud screech interrupts everything and sends the battlefield into a pause. Like what happened in Rosewood, everyone paused and looked for the origin of the sound.

Kludd holds a bloodied katana in his rasp and a glare of malice on his face. Autumn is against the wall cowering in fear before looking up to feel that she hasn't met her demise, before gasping in horror for what she sees in front of her.

"It's like my dream…" Soren utters

He falls to the ground with a slash across his body bleeding out. In a fit of anger and adrenaline, Soren claws at the scratch on Kludd's leg, opening it into a deep wound. Kludd falls over in agony and Autumn and Ezylryb get up from where they have been the past few minutes, as Kludd crawls away in retreat before taking flight

"I'll get the paramedics and alert the Healing chaw." Ezylryb says before flying off

"Soren, stay awake, alright." Autumn says, kneeling beside him, "Look at me, look at me."

There is a slight crowd around Soren as he tries to stay awake, but is fading from consciousness. Boron lands to examine what is going on.

"Autumn, what happened?" Boron asks, while examining the damage

"The bastard Pure One High Tyto did this!" Autumn exclaims, getting a little worked up "That… That bastard tried to kill me with my own katana and Soren stopped him. I am grateful, but… Oh dear Glaux…"

Ezylryb lands with members of the Healing chaw and they get bandages on Soren while putting him on a stretcher before flying off, and Soren blacks out. Most of the Guardians look toward the Pure Ones furiously before drawing their weapons and either taking them out or chasing them away, and with Kludd's wound on his leg, she calls retreat.

Back in City Centre, Ezylryb holds a distressed Autumn in his wings as she is frightened over how she almost died. Boron then turns to his wife, Barran, who has just landed from dealing with the Pure Ones.

"Tell the Canners what has happened." Boron orders

"What has happened?" Barran asks, as she places her sword in its carrier.

"Their son was severely wounded, dear. He was trying to stop that Metalbeak prick from killing Autumn and the bastard sliced him with the katana." He explains, in the least of dignifying manor

"Good Glaux!" She exclaims, "I'll the boy's parents right away."

Barran flies off in a hurry to tell the parents of Soren what has happened. Boron had chosen her because she can break the most dreadful of news in a way that is doing it delicately. Would have told Autumn to do it, but she is still very frightened from what has just happened and how close she was to dying, all in the name of stopping Kludd from killing someone of his own blood.


	13. Chapter 13 Between Glaumora and Hagsmire

_Alright, thirteenth chapter now. What is the aftermath of Kludd wounding Soren and coping it in return. I have to thank my good friend Shen's General for contributing another scene, and it is pretty much is the same as it was, but with a little edtiting. Let me just tell you now, he does a very impressive portrayal of Lord Mordecai, the demonic Owl God of Darkness._

* * *

Chapter 13: Between Glaumora and Hagsmire

_"Otulissa… I have bad news. During the battle with the Pure Ones, Soren has been wounded and… With the amount of blood… It could be severe. I am so sorry, lass…"_

She dreaded hearing those words from the queen, and within moments, she rushed to the infirmary with tears in her eyes, through the rain that falls from the sky in reaction, flying fraught with worry and fear. Twenty minutes have passed and the outlook now is grim, well, grim because they have heard no word since those minutes have passed. The parents, younger sibling, girlfriend, friends and the boy's mentor have gathered awaiting the news of what is going on.

Noctus holds his wife, Marella, close as she silently cries over what is going on, fearing the worst is happening and they have no control over it. And nearby, the woman Soren got himself wounded in order to stop his brother from killing, Autumn preys on her rosary while fiancé Ezylryb watches on, as he never had got the system, even back in the days of Aristocracy in the North. As for the girlfriend of the boy, Otulissa sits nearby three of her friends (well… Gylfie being more of a neutral enemy) and she wipes her eyes. She almost fainted if anything, the only reaction she could do was to come here.

Autumn looks up from her rosary, after kissing the small peach coloured rose charm that her mother, Celeste, had put on to personalise it for her daughter, "All are upset… Even the owlet, cheerful young Eglantine has lost her smile."

"It is the uncertainty." Ezylryb replies, before a sigh, "It's like we are in Limbo at the moment, unsure of as to what will happen next."

"It is cruel silence…" Autumn mutters

Otulissa starts crying again and Gylfie does something they would never think she would do, comfort a girl she has been feuding with for ages. She pats Otulissa on the shoulder as she cries into her wings. Just the thought of death just brings tears to this otherwise brave and scholastic girl.

"Hey, hey, it's going to be alright." Gylfie comforts, "Soren's a fighter, he'd never give up no matter what."

"Oh, I do not want to lose him, Gylfie, I just don't want to hear those words, those words…" Otulissa cries

The elf owl places a wing around her and then hugs her, "I know that we have been right bitches to each other, but… Soren is my best friend and he means just as much as he means to you. And I know that he will be alright."

Everyone watches the scene of sisterly affection taking place and Ezylryb and Autumn are especially impressed, as the rybs often do not hear the end of their constant feuding, whinging and bitching. They have put their differences aside, finally enough, well, hopefully, because it would be the wrong of moments to argue and… they were just acting like owlets, though being in the ages of a GTA student.

"Their little fight may be over." Ezylryb says to Autumn who agrees with a simple nod

* * *

Like how Mordecai had founded the Pure Ones, Cheyenne was responsible for the Guardians of Ga'Hoole. The Goddess of Light was a strong ally at the time, and she lead them into the battle in which destroyed Mordecai, sending him straight to the fiery depths of Hagsmire. The victory however came at a cost, Cheyenne losing her life. A shrine was erected in the base of the tree, in a cave, which, funnily enough, was somewhat in line of the general direction of Tyto Forest, her home kingdom. And that shrine remains to this day, Cheyenne being buried underneath the tiles in which make the flooring, parchments and carvings of words said on the walls, waxy candles around a portrait of the Goddess of Light and her glory which emanates off her like rays of sunlight coming off the sun.

Lighting candles one by one, using another candle as the source, a living deity who wears a hooded cloak stands before the portrait of her sister in arms. Finally lighting the candles, she kneels before the portrait and right behind a wreath of buttercups. The lights stable, though shaky because of the winds that blow outside because of the storm that has become. She lowers her hood, revealing her face as she closes her eyes and hidden markings glow.

"I beseech thee to allow for the boy, Soren Canner, to live." Barran speaks, "It is a cruel and unkind fate for the boy to suffer. For stopping that owl following orders given by the demon from killing the Princess Autumn Rose of Ambala, he has shown his true courage. And as Sao hath foretold, he plays a role in the eventual downfall of the Pure One Empire."

Some of the leaves flicker with the wind that blows, as if she hears something and it is the reaction of what happens in the Glaumora realm on the earth below.

"We are doing all we can, milord, it was a pretty bad wound." She answers, as if she was asked a question

Candles are the next to be affected, flickering in the breeze and some of them going out. Of course, strange happenings that their effects have on the earth are common when the Goddess chooses to be in contact with her counterparts. And being here, a place, which is mostly secluded, allows for the secret happenings of a goddess who wants to keep her identity hidden happen.

"I do have to tell of his abilities, being gifted with the ability like Amara w-" She mentions, before silence and nodding, "Thank you and yes, I will."

She places up her hood once more, acting secretive while leaving the candles to burn; her markings disappear to be nothing more than a figment of imagination as if perceived by a naïve child. The storm continues however as she walks toward the entrance, picking up her midnight blue cape in the winds that blow. She closes her eyes and takes a breath for a moment, before opening her eyes.

"I said that I would never allow myself to use my powers without reason, but… There is a bigger reason as to why I have told Glaumora all I know and all that has happened." Barran utters, before looking to the sky, which the clouds have gathered and are shrouding the sight of anyone hoping to look at the stars that would blanket the sky.

* * *

Like in Ga'Hoole, pouring with rain, though copping the mother of thunderstorms, the Pure One base in St. Aegolius is still very quiet. It has been maybe less than an hour since their shameful defeat, when they were so close to victory, fate stopped them from doing the inconceivable deed of ending this everlasting war with the Pure Ones as the supreme leaders of the Owl Kingdoms.

Nyra sits inside her chamber, embroidering while the rain batters the base, most of it hitting the windows. One of her ladies in waiting are folding clothes while the others are sitting with the queen,, two of them playing cards, one reading and another watching Nyra as she works. The queen herself finds that she learnt this skill, as she would want to have something to do in her downtime, like now. She has been here for since the sun first set, as by orders of her worried fiancé.

"I can only hope by now that they would be planning a great battle. Oh for if they have victory, this'll go down in history." Nyra says

"Nyra!" Someone yells from outside

The queen swiftly gets up as Elanore bursts thought the door in such hurry and urgency that it has frightened Nyra. She runs over to the fourteen-year-old General, while she catches her breath and is leaning against the wall.

"Elanore, what happened?" Nyra asks

"Guardians… Siege failed… failed! Kludd tried to kill Soren…" Elanore says between pants

"Yes, yes, spit it out girl!" She sharply demands

"Kludd has a really bad wound on his leg!" Elanore responds, "They're bringing him into the Royal Courtyard right about now. And with the rain getting to it, it could just cause more bleeding."

Nyra places on a cape and then takes off down the hall as fast as she can. It does not help that she is pretty much at the top of the base wanting to get to the bottom, but she is flying down the corridors faster than she has ever flown, even when in pursuit of something she goes slower. She then opens the doors to the courtyard and Kludd is being supported on Morin and one of the soldiers. To her shock, it is all correct.

"Help him to his chamber, I must go and get the medical kit." Nyra orders

"N-Nyra, i… I…" Kludd breathes

"I know." She replies putting a wing on his face, "We failed…"

They then go inside the base and Nyra stands out in the rain for moment's watching as he limps his way in. She then enters and then heads in the opposite direction as to where they are going. And by the time she gets to Kludd's bedchamber, he is on the bed and the two are standing with Nyra's ladies in waiting and Elanore gets has a basin of water with cloth reedy soaking in it.

"You may go." Nyra says as she enters

Elanore places down the basin and Nyra hugs her, as she has had quite a rough night and the young general leaves the room and closes the door. She takes out the cloth and wrongs it out, before putting it on his wound and Kludd just tries to deal with the pain. She has an apologetic look on her face, and he knows that she is not meaning to hurt him.

"I can hope you can walk on it." Nyra says, breaking the silence

"I am not missing the most important day of my life because of a mere…" Kludd confidently answers before yelling in pain "Darn it all! Darn… It all."

"I'm sorry." She mutters

"No, no… It's alright, love." Kludd says before tiling his head back, "Oh good Glaux…"

Nyra places the towel on the wound as she looks through the medical kit for a jar. She then finds it and it has some leaves as its contents. Nyra gives a dissatisfying grimace, as she knows the properties of these leaves, but…

Nyra takes out three leaves, "Now this is going to hurt more than the hot water."

"What?" Kludd asks

She then takes off the towel and upon putting on the first leaf, Kludd howls loudly with pain and with the two others on, he is just hurting badly. As his eyes start to water, he is trying to breathe through it and Nyra places the towel over the top. She then takes his wing with one of hers and is stroking his face.

"Ssh, It's alright, it'll stop hurting in a few minutes, alright. It will even make you temporarily lose feeling to the area of the wound so I can use stiches. Just breathe calmly, dear." Nyra softly mutters

"Grr… Sprinking Soren!" Kludd exclaims, while writhing in pain

"He eventually will die from the blow you gave him." She mentions, to at least cheer him up a bit

"Serves the cunt right…" He breathes, before looking to his bandage, "What can't you do Nyra? You pretty much know how to do anything and everything."

She laughs, "It's just what I do. It takes time to learn many a thing, and if anything, many skills are required when being where I and Elanore are ranked."

"You are perfect." He replies while caressing her face

"You want some wine? After tonight, I think you deserve to have a bloody drink." Nyra asks while opening a bottle

"Well, if it stops the pain, I'll get drunk for all I care." Kludd quips

Nyra smiles with answer, while she places it on the table beside her, "I think it should be done by now."

She then takes out a needle and thread and starts to stick his leg back up. Like a piece of fabric, she would be careful not to do any damages or worse to it and Kludd, really, has no feeling in his thigh now.

"You are always the mother, Nyra." Kludd mentions

"Well, someone has to take care of you." Nyra replies with a loving smile

"And you will be a perfect mother when I will take you." he continues

Nyra rolls her eyes and just carries on with her work, as those sorts of comments she really does find a little inappropriate and unflattery. Even if most of all soldiers in the Pure One base have a slight perverted crush on her, she has some common decency, brains and brawn behind her pretty face.

* * *

It has been half of an hour in Ga'Hoole and still no word, and the weather still gloomy outside with rain falling from the skies above, but not as hard as it was before. Patience seems to be wearing thin and just before someone cracks into some sort of emotional distress, the door opens and the doctor exits. The nine owls outside then jump up in reaction suddenly as it is the decisive moment.

"Is Soren ok?" Marella asks

"Yeah, is he?" Otulissa adds

"He is in a stable condition and his wounds have been attended to. He will need some rest for some nights to come, as it was a deep wound which caused a lot of bleeding." The doctor answers

'Does that mean my brother is ok?" Eglantine asks

"Yes, it does, lass." Autumn simplifies for the young owlet, "They patched him up and he'll be right as rain in no time."

"I didn't want to hear any bad news." Eglantine says

"None of us either, Eglantine." Digger agrees

"Well, may we see him?" Marella asks

"Yes, only immediate family first." The doctor replies

Otulissa rushes in and Noctus and Marella shrug as they follow and Eglantine too. Soren lies on the bed, with enough bandages on him that you would think he was mummified. Otulissa holds his wing and kisses it as a sleepy Soren opens his eyes, besides passing out, they had also sedated him anyway, and the meds can make you a little sleepy and a little woozy too.

Soren sleepily caresses his girlfriend's face, "Hey you."

"Thank Glaux you are ok." Otulissa replies

"You alright there, Soren?" Noctus asks

"Yeah, Da. I'm fine, Just tired." Soren breathes

"I was so worried about you and… I kept thinking the worst would have happened, but, oh thank Glaux it didn't." Marella says with some relief that the worst did not happen

Eglantine then comes beside Otulissa and Soren smiles at her before patting his sister on her head, acknowledging her presence. She then hugs him, and because of the painkillers, he isn't feeling any sharp shooting pain.

"I didn't want to lose my other big brother." The owlet says

Soren hugs back as the women in the room swoon over how touching it is and as for Noctus, he just has a slight smile, and a frown at the same time thinking upon whom isn't here to share the moment of Soren's awaking and of the good news.

* * *

Back in St. Aegolius, the wound on his thigh has been stitched up and bandaged and Kludd couldn't be feeling better… All because of a few glasses of a drink made of fermented grapes called wine. Nyra lies on her belly of the bed, Kludd running his wing down her back affectionately.

"I am the King of the Pure Ones… Lord… Lord high Tyto… The mighty ruler." Kludd says within his drunken slur

"Yes, dear." Nyra merely agrees

"We should… We should have a grand celebration, Nyra." He says

"That would be nice." She agrees

"Or… Or it could just be you, me and… The… The Inner Circle having a… a massive festival where… Where'd burn an effigy of Soren. Yeah. Yeah!" He continues, before having another swig of wine

"Either one sounds nice." She half-heartedly agrees, disinterested really because he has been having these drunken talks since maybe after the third or fourth glass. And she knows how strong that stuff can be after a few drinks.

"I will like to hear the news soon. So we can start planning the party and if we should start making an eff… effigy of that bastard Soren." Kludd mentions

"I would like to hear that too, dear." Nyra agrees

The door opens and the Guard lets in a messenger. Kludd sits up a bit and Nyra turns herself and then sits up to see what is going on. This may be the moment of truth as to if Kludd has done what he has wanted to do since some time ago, destroy his brother Soren.

Kludd gets more wine, "This better be good."

"It is bad, my lord… Your brother he… he…" The messenger stutters upon the last word in complete and utter nervousness

"Soren is what?" Kludd asks, before getting a little peevish, "Well, out with it then! I hate to be kept waiting and I hate this very much, darn it!"

"Your brother, Soren Canner, is alive, my lord. He survived and is recovering in their infirmary. He may have been weakened, but he still remains alive and is on the road to recovery." The messenger rapidly outs, fearing what the reaction of the High Tyto will be.

Nyra looks to Kludd as he inhales and exhales with anger, he then throws the glass at the wall near the messenger, who then bows and runs the hagsmire away.

"Sprinking Soren! He should have been dead! He should have died, he should have died, he should have died!" Kludd roars, completely furious over the news

After this outburst of pure anger, Kludd falls back in exhaustion, his head tilted towards the ceiling and taking in deep, agitated breaths. Nyra moves herself to lean on Kludd's chest, cuddling and otherwise soothing the raging beast that once was an owl by hushing him.

"This… This is just bull, Nyra. He… he should be dead." Kludd complains

"It is just one of those things, Kludd." Nyra consoles, "He must be stronger than we thought."

"Yes… He must be." He agrees before a yawn

The Widow Queen nuzzles his neck, "It is time for bed, Kludd. You haven't slept in nights and you need sleep."

"I am not tired." He says before kissing Nyra on her head and then down her neck

She giggles slightly, while her fiancée just continues with the tender kisses on her body, "Kludd… Now is not the time for that. You have an injury on your leg, you are drunk and you haven't slept in four days and… and…"

Nyra just loses her train of thought as she and Kludd lock beaks in an embrace, closing her eyes and if anything, she hasn't been in this type of company since long before her, soon to be technically first, husband died. And if anything, all this night she has been so worried about if Kludd would return alive or not. They then part for air and Nyra has a dreamy look plastered on her face and her cheeks turning a light shade of red.

"Good Glaux… That was a… a…" Kludd says, slightly struggling for the right word

Nyra giggles, "A good kiss? You're lost for words…"

"I guess, I am… A King lost for words." Kludd says before breaking into laughter, Nyra herself just rolling her eyes

Just when they are about to do a repeat of their kiss, there is a knock at the door and it opens, Kludd immediately looking up and getting off Nyra, and they try to reaffirm their authority as the leaders of the Pure Ones. They'd try not to make the situation look a little awkward, especially if they have walked in on what they thought was mating.

"oh, what do you honestly want now?!" Kludd snaps, a little pissed off with the rude interruption

"I wish to report to you that Ramaxon Pettit has gone into hiding. It seems the OWER has a warrant for his arrest activated." The messenger reports

"Oh sounds pretty bad." Kludd replies, sounding a little unsympathetic toward the situation, "alright, just go, please."

The messages bows and then leaves out the door. Kludd then turns to Nyra who has just fallen back like Kludd had done earlier, but she is not exhausted, she is just agitated a bit by how they could just allow them to enter like that.

"Where were we, hmm?" Kludd asks flirtatiously

"You should get some sleep, Kludd. You need it." Nyra says, rolling over to face away from him

"Fine." Kludd hastily submits, "But you better have a good way to cure a hangover."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, dear." She replies

Kludd lies down and wraps his wing around Nyra's waist, and tenderly kisses her back before putting his head on it. He can hear her heartbeat, sounding strong and calmed. Just as long as those tormenting daymares of losing her do not become real, everything will be aright and he could sleep easy on that note.

"Goodlight, my queen." Kludd whispers

The last thing he sees before drifting off to sleep is his beloved Nyra, who has a smile on her face as she too drifts off to sleep. Four days without sleep can have a toll on themselves, as he really does have no trouble falling asleep.

* * *

After Kludd drifts off, he stands in a desolate place, he looks around, seeing only well… not much to be honest.

"Where am I? This is not St. Aggies..." Kludd asks himself

"No, it isn't." Someone says

Kludd flinches and behind him, emerging in a plume of smoke like he always does, is Mordecai. Once again, the God of Darkness has come to well… almost this realm again.

"Oh, you again." Kludd says with surprise

"Yes, so _nice_ to see you too." Mordecai sarcastically replies

"What do you want now?" Kludd asks

"Well, my dear boy, I was just sitting back and watching you work your stuff with those Guardians, enjoying the show and all, only to be disappointed that the brother that you swore to kill...is still not killed." Mordecai says, circling around the boy

"Hey, I wounded him, didn't I?" Kludd rudely snaps

Mordecai gives him a cynical look, "Please, the only thing you did was hurt his feelings. Knowing those bastards up there, they will easily let Soren live."

Kludd growls, "What do you want me to do? I nearly had that Autumn bitch where I wanted her when he intervened. It seems like no matter how many battles I lead the Pure Ones into, he is always there!"

"Exactly my point, Kludd! You say you want to kill Soren...yet, every single time I had seen you fight him, you either play around with him or get distracted! Had I not known any better, I would think that you are actually letting his words get to you!" Mordecai shouts, stressing his point across

"What? That is completely absurd!" Kludd replies

"And what of those letters? The ones you sent to him? Why communicate with someone you are going to kill? That beats the whole damn purpose!" Mordecai continues

"Well...I..." The brown barn owl stutters, trying to find an explanation

"I know what is going through your head, boy..." Mordecai says, calming down a bit, as he starts to circle Kludd, again, "You seem to think that your brother and family still cares about you...but what makes you think that, uh? Your father never seemed to care about you even when you were a hatchling...your mother hardly paid you any mind...Mrs P always knew there was something off about you...little Eglantine...she may be naive but it is obvious she thinks the same as the others about you...and Soren...oh...Soren."

"What about him?!" Kludd asks

"You see, the only reason I would assume Soren wants you back is that he miss being the golden child..." Mordecai answers, stopping in his tracks, and Kludd has cynical look, "With you gone, your parents seem to have lost their adoration for their prodigal child, and since that boy spilled the beans on your identity, they started to hate him as much as they hated you...without you, Soren has no one to compare to him. If you came back, things will just change back to the way it was before...Soren being idolized...and you being shrouded in his shadow...do you really want that?"

"NO! I mean...I don't..." Kludd exclaims

"What about Nyra? If you choose your brother, you would not only return to the state of mediocrity, but you will lose the only woman that ever gave a darn about you." Mordecai says, "And you know how broken she was after Metalbeak's death, think of how she would feel if you left her, she would be crushed. And if I know her… She isn't as strong as it may seem. She has grown weaker…"

"No...not her..." Kludd says, horrified to the notion of ever leaving her

"What about your child, then, Kludd? Nyroc? Remember that dream, Kludd!" Mordecai asks

Kludd's heart froze as he remembers that dream… He was wounded and his army destroyed, and his Nyra was dying in his wings and she was in a trashed nursery. He watched her die, her snow coloured body stained with blood and her last words… _I love you…_ It had mention of an owlet, and it was the future so… who knows if that part may come true even if the apocalypse highlighted would happen upon them.

"No...no..." Kludd utters, horrified upon remembering

Mordecai paces again, "Don't you see, Kludd? You and Soren can't co-exist in this world. If Soren is allowed to live, you will lose everything that you loved...you can say you hate him all you want...but I can sense that doubt in your heart...and as long as that doubt is, there...you will fall. Soren says he love you...but in reality...he hates you...and he wants you stripped of power, loathed, and shamed forever-"

"YOU'RE WRONG!" Kludd growls

Mordecai stops in his place and turns to face him and his eyes glowing slightly, "What did you say to me?"

"You don't know Soren like I do...him hating me...it's not him...he said he loved me..." Kludd reiterates

"Loved you?" Mordecai asks, as he breaks into maniacal laughter, and so suddenly, Mordecai slaps Kludd's cheek, "You idiot...you still won't see the truth? Why don't you listen to what your family have to say?"

Suddenly, by the power of Mordecai's Dark Magic, something that no one really does understand what it is, Kludd is surrounded by his family, all excluding his younger sister Eglantine. They are looking at him with a grim distain.

"Ma? Da? Mrs P? ...Soren? What is this?" Kludd asks

"Kludd..." Noctus says

"Da…" Kludd utters while turning to him

"Do not call me that, boy...you are no son of mine..." Noctus snaps

"W-what?" Kludd exclaims with shock

"You don't belong in our family, Kludd..." Marella says

"Ma?" Kludd says

"In fact, dearie...you belong nowhere..." Mrs P. adds

"What are you all talking about?!" Kludd shouts, agitated because of confusion

"Let me spell it out for you, Kludd...there is no place for you in the owl kingdoms..." Marella explains

Tears start forming in Kludd's eyes, as a mother usually would never say that to her child, "W-what?"

"Hagsmire...there is no place for you on Earth..." Noctus also adds

"No...no...you can't...you can't mean..." Kludd panics

"I always knew you would be such a disappointment, Kludd...that all you ever were..." Mrs P then mentions

"No...you're wrong! All of you!" Kludd yells, in emotional hysteria

"Are they, Kludd?" A voice says interrupting

Kludd turns to the origin of the voice, and it is his younger brother who stands there with the shared look of distain that the others have on their faces.

"Soren...you can't agree with them...what about all you said about us being brothers?" Kludd asks, hoping that unlike the others Soren remains on his side, after all that he has done

"Brothers?" Soren sarcastically says before laughing harshly, "Are you more stupid than I thought? Why would I want someone like you for a brother?"

"What?" Kludd utters, shocked

"You certainly not worthy of being MY brother. Not someone who is weak..." Soren says

"No..." Kludd mutters

"Pathetic..." It continues

"Shut up!" Kludd orders

"Stupid..." Soren says

Kludd started to cover his ear slits, the words started echoing around his head, "Shut up."

"You have no purpose in this world, Kludd...to me, you will always be second-rate, a nobody that no one will love. It is only a matter of time before the Pure Ones realize that. Without Mordecai...you are nothing...and soon, Nyra will know it...oh, how she will hate you...and how everyone will laugh..." Soren taunts

Soren and the family begin laughing at him, mocking him. Kludd just covers his ear slits trying to ignore and a few moments later, something suddenly snaps in Kludd. He just takes a few agitated deep breaths before getting up…

"SHUT UP!" Kludd screeches, finally had enough of all of this and in his blinding fury, he starts attacking his parents, in which they dissipate into smoke. He then does the same for Mrs P. and when he gets to his younger brother, being the only one remaining who hasn't disappeared, Kludd glares at Soren and lunges at him

"You are weak, Kludd...you always will be..." Soren says

"NO! SHUT UP!" Kludd screams as he started clawing and beating Soren to death, as he keeps saying, repeating his words until the figure of his brother disappears into smoke. Kludd then drops to the ground crying.

Behind him, Mordecai stands and hurried shock, as over the years, he has never seen such a temper and such instability and he is the one renounced for causing dawn and dusk at the same time and for wanting to tear the Owl Gods into shreds, even has an obsession with the Goddess Amara.

"Glaux, this is worse than I thought...to think that I actually thought you would be of use to me." Mordecai says, still a little hurried from the display

Kludd continues to cry, shaken from this whole display and hoping that this will all be over, though it is an epiphany of the truth that is being told in his unreliable subconscious. Mordecai then just comes in front of him and pushes him over to fall on his back and before he could even do anything, Mordecai thrusts his claw into Kludd's chest and Kludd's heart is forced out. (**Like how Regina/The Evil Queen would do on Once Upon a Time. -For some reason it just reminded me of that.**)

"My...my...heart..." Kludd utters, horrified

"What, This thing?" Mordecai utters, acting stupid for a moment there, "Oh, this one is really broken...but you will get it back once you come to your senses..."

"No...you can't...I won't let you..." Kludd says as he slowly gets up

"Once you are ready to accept your destiny, drop me a line. For now, go to hagsmire..." Mordecai cruelly snaps

Before Kludd could react, Mordecai turns into ashes and smoke, his form for when he travels between the dimensions, which then fly at him ravel around him...

* * *

Kludd then wakes up in a fit of sheer fear and he clutches his chest, as to where his heart is. Nyra suddenly wakes up and notices this and she is immediately worried as this could be yet another daymare and worse… the wine may have caused it worse.

"Kludd, dear? Are you alright?" Nyra asks with a lot of concern

Kludd looks towards her, still a little shaken he gives her a simple nod, "I-I'm fine, love. Just a bad daymare..."

"Oh, Kludd…" Nyra sighs, as she starts petting his back, "These dreams must end..."

"I wish I could, Nyra...I wish I could..." Kludd replies

_"Remember, boy...remember where your loyalties lies..." Mordecai says, from inside his head_

Nyra holds him close to her chest and she lulls him like a she would a baby. Kludd would protest or something, but he really would need a hug. After that… he just doesn't know what is true and what is false anymore. And his loyalties… hagsmire, how is he supposed to know who he is truly loyal to.

"I hope this will end, Kludd… It's only a month until our wedding and… I don't want you to be losing sleep before the most important day of our lives." Nyra says

"It will, if I can find a way it will…" Kludd replies, "Oh and Nyra, don't let me drink before bed ever again."

* * *

As the night sky starts to clear up in Ga'Hoole, Princess Autumn is sitting near Soren. She had come to say a few things, especially since he had stopped Kludd from killing her or worse. Boron is about to enter, but he sees the Princess of Ambala present and he decides to wait outside.

Autumn hugs Soren, but with her smallness, she couldn't cause pain in her hugs even if she squeezed hard enough.

"I am grateful for what you did Soren." Autumn says "But… I didn't think that you would get hurt and… I was trying to help, but I just became a burden."

"I didn't want Kludd to hurt anyone, and I definitely didn't want to see a ryb get torn apart by my brother." Soren replies, "And you are not a burden, Miss Autumn. You did your best to help and really, he was beating the crud out of me. If things went differently…"

"You shouldn't think about it too much, lad." She replies

She then picks up the box and opens it, revealing a shiny medal which has the emblem of the Kin Royals imprinted on it. She then angles it so Soren can get a better look of it.

"I want to give you a special medal, Soren. Not just for this second time you have saved my life, but… For your courage, your bravery, for being a leader whose sense of peace and justice influences all he does and he decisions he puts forward to the Parliament and to the owls of Ga'Hoole." Autumn says

She pins the medal gently on his bandages, she bows her head with respect and Soren does the same.

"Though that Ezylryb and I were trying to help you, you have done more for me than… well, I and Ezylryb could have done to help you." She finishes

"Pardon if I may, Princess Autumn, but wouldn't Merissa ask that you have a ceremony for presenting that medal?" Boron asks, finally entering the room after waiting long enough

Soren bows his head with respect, "Your majesty."

"An altered formal greeting. Improvising seems to have caught on around the tree. Now I heard that the lad came too and survived, so I came to see myself. You can never count on royal messengers." Boron says, before a slight shrug

"Well, they say I'll need rest for a while because of the blood loss, but I'll be up and walking around soon." Soren explains

"Well, that is good." The king nods before turning to his Ambalan counterpart, "Autumn, if you may, I would want to have a word with the lad alone. Go and see where Otulissa had gotten to, hm,"

"Alright." Autumn says, 'I am sure I will see you later, Soren."

The small sized Princess of Ambala then leaves and closes the door as she does what she is told, seeing as she might as well get back to whatever she is supposed to be doing. It falls dead silent back in the room. Soren feeling a little intimidated by it, or is that something else causing that.

"Why did you do it?" Boron enquires

"What?" Soren asks, a little nervous

"Lie." The king clarifies, "I know that your brother is Metalbeak, lad."

"H-how?" Soren asks

"I picked up on it. When it comes to being King of Ga'Hoole, you always seem to be able to pick up on every little thing that happens. It just so happens that I picked up on who Metalbeak really is. That brother of yours that was claimed to never have been found after that fight." Boron explains

"Well…. What happens now?" Soren asks, worrying for what could happen after the truth has come out to the highest authority in Ga'Hoole.

"You, lad, must endeavour to making a full recovery. So the Leader of The Band can be with his comrades once more." Boron replies, lightening the mood with a little amusing dramatic licence, "As for the Pure Ones, well, they may not be doing anything for a long while from now, since we lain waste to most of their army."

"Sir, may I ask… If we shall engage the Pure Ones in battle again… Will the Guardians hurt Kludd?" Soren asks, a little worried for what it means to have the High Tyto of the Pure Ones as his brother

"Well, the lad himself isn't the problem, it is just his alter ego and other influences he has into his decision making. Of course, since he is of blood to you, his death by our faction's claws is not allowed." Boron answers, taking a few moments to think on it

"May I reiterate: What would become of Kludd, and if so, will be killing him be an option?" Soren asks

"Well, imprisonment seems to be a better option than the others. Of course, we will only imprison Metalbeak, not Kludd. And if your bother shall come to his senses, no offence intended, and has a change of heart, decisions will be made." The king explains, reiterating his answer

Soren sighs, "I can only hope that there will be a good resolution…"

"Well, I have some duties to attend to, especially before the sun starts to rise, so, as we were." Boron nods

Soren nods back, "As we were."

Just about before he leaves, Boron pauses in his tracks, "Oh and, why did your brother have a locket attached to his helm?"

Sore shrugs, "Maybe it's Nyra's."

Boron just shrugs and then leaves and with the quiet, Soren decides to turn in early. He himself has been having little to no sleep at all these last few nights, and while incapacitated, he might just have the time to get well-needed rest.

* * *

Boron, on his way to his office, walks past Ezylryb.

"I know the truth, and Kludd is acting like _A.N." _Boron says

Ezylryb pauses, as he knows whom the king is talking about and come to think of it, they are both just the same, they betrayed the trust of members of their family all in the name of the Pure Ones and their own deals...

* * *

In the slight forest area near the St. Aegolius Pure One Base which has been regrowing since the forest fire almost a year ago, an owl unable to sleep limps around supporting most of his weight on a stick which is under his wing. After that horrifying daymare, Kludd found it hard to sleep, so he decided to do what he must do… as he has decided his loyalties. He comes to the middle of the forest, where they are some rocks.

"Alright, Mordecai, you win. You bloody win. I just… I just can't keep doing this same routine crap anymore. I want to succeed in my promises, to… to bring the Pure Ones to glory and to kill my brother for vengeance as well as personal matters." Kludd says, receiving no answer as of yet, "I… I need your guidance, Lord Mordecai. I just, just don't know what to do."

"Well, if you require my help, lad, then tell me one thing." Mordecai's voice says

"What?" Kludd asks

"If you have come to your senses and where do your loyalties lie. That is what I am asking." Mordecai says

"Well, Lord Mordecai, I now realise that I have been laying childish games. I am 18 now… A grown owl that can do what he wants and is allowed to drink, darn it. And my loyalties lie to kingdom and country, Pure Ones and to my fiancée Nyra and to the family I hope that someday we will have." Kludd confidently replies

Mordecai appears, "Well, look at you finally realising the owl you really are."

"So… Are you going to help me, or what?" Kludd asks

"Not now, after you're wedding with Nyra. That is when we will talk." Mordecai replies

"But… That is a month and thirteen days away from now and it's nearing the start of October now!" Kludd complains

"Well, I want things to take it's time, boy. You can't expect to take over a world overnight and with that injury, you need the rest so you can be able to walk on the most important day of your life, your wedding day." Mordecai lectures the impatient owl, "Oh, and funnily enough, I'll just make sure that those daymares don't happen. Hagsmire, I do have some sympathy."

"I would appreciate that… I almost had a heart attack this morning…" Kludd says, a little fightened still of that

"You take care of yourself and that to be missus of yours, a woman like her needs to be looked after well… and take it from me, lad, make sure that you don't allow her to become like my wife, Aura." Mordecai says

"I will, I will." Kludd says

Mordecai then disappears and Kludd takes off to fly back to St. Aegolius, hopefully this time to be able to fall asleep without having temperamental fears coming from severely scarring daymares.


	14. Chapter 14: October Wait

Chapter 14: October Wait

The long corridors of the eastern side of the St. Aegolius Pure One Base seem vacant, especially since the noise of a simple stick is amplified greatly; it echoes with every step Kludd takes. Two weeks has been past the wound on his leg is taking it's time to heal, especially as this king has not taken much time to rest, much to the dismay of his wife to be and to the doctors. Kludd however is not going to be of mercy of a mere wound, especially as his wedding draws nearer and he wants to be able to walk and to dance with Nyra.

Speaking of Nyra, she has been spending her time with the wedding planner as the wedding draws nearer and nearer and as the mid-spring weather brings night times with clear skies, she spends more time outside in the garden. If anything, she is attracted to it like he is with swords nowadays. The many complicated things that make these two happy.

The doors to the Royal Courtyard open for Kludd and in the centre, Nyra, Elanore and the ladies in waiting are around a table having tea, surrounded by flowers that have yet to flower and above the ladies, lanterns hang across the courtyard which are attached to the corresponding wall and some hanging off the balconies.

"The flowers will be blooming soon." Kludd says as he approaches, the ladies in waiting getting up and curtseying with respect

"How does your leg fair?" Nyra asks placing her cup of tea down

"It's hurting a little." He replies while nodding to the ladies to take a seat, "But with the writing pain comes healing."

"Kludd, you should be resting." She sternly advises

"I know, but I have work to do. I do hope that this thing heals up enough before our wedding. Having to put most of my weight on a stick makes me look weak." Kludd replies

He walks behind Nyra and kisses her on the top of her head. Unannounced, Kludd leaves and the widow queen merely sighs. He can be so stubborn sometimes whenever he just decides to go against what they advise him to do; he does it, ignoring what they say. Of course, this agenda with his wound is overcoming a weakness that was caused by his brother clawing his leg.

After strolling around the Pure One base, the throne room doors open for the king and his two highest of command, besides the Widow Queen, stand at the head of the room. Morin is surprised, though he hasn't been here to do a recruitment mission he has been spearheading in the name of the Pure One army, he was told that Lord Metalbeak would be resting and that the general would be dealing with matters to do with the army, while Nyra deals with matters to the monarchy.

"Lord Kludd, I thought you were absent from your post, resting by the orders of the Widow Queen and of the physician?" Morin asks, astounded of the resolve that he is seeing

"Does it look like I will take this aftermath of defeat sitting down?" Kludd answers, while eventually making his way up to them, "After our former High Tyto, Glaux rest his soul, hath died, when I became your lord and commander, did it look like I rested while having burns and a broken wing? No."

"The soldiers admire your resolve, my lord." Elanore says

"They should, as I am their leader and I am stronger than they think. The strong shall rule the weak…" Kludd replies before flying up to his throne, "Elanore, start work on swords training, they are sloppy with their swords. Morin, please order that the patrols stay within our boarders."

"Regroupings at the sister base, the Palace of Darkness in The Beaks, have been underway, milord." Morin reports

"That is good; we need a few more to our army after the defeat at the Great Tree." Kludd comments, "Dismissed."

With a bow of respect, the General and Lieutenant leave to carry out their orders given and if anything, they should leave Kludd be. He can get easily agitated at times and though he may not be able to fight, given he should take it easy, but he is very… well, becoming nowadays with his voice, making up for the temporary lack of action.

* * *

Like his brother, who has been coming along with healing after their skirmish during the siege, Soren is making his way about recovering, much like others in the Tree who were injured while protecting their home. The citizens are well, damages to the tree are mending or have been mended, like broken windows and their lives have returned to normal. GTA students are training and learning their subjects and owlets… are just being owlets.

Soren, already able enough to have been discharged from the infirmary after two long weeks, is on his rounds around Ga'Hoole. Since they changed his dressings, they left his Medal of Honour from the Ambalan Princess on him. As it's a sign of courage, leadership and pure tenacity, that worthy of such an award have demonstrated. Although, he feels unable to wear it, as he may have saved Princess Autumn from dying a second time, and as all say, he is a legend in the making, he has lost something more that makes him unable to support this badge of honour. –His brother.

Those two whole weeks he has spent in the infirmary has made him think of why he mustn't give up. As Boron said, only Metalbeak shall be the one who would be imprisoned, and if Kludd could change… IF he could change, he will not succumb to the fate that would befall him while traveling down this path of chaos and destruction lead by the darkness.

Soren has also been reading many books. That is when he isn't spending time with his family, which, besides being his parents and sister, does include his girlfriend, Otulissa as well as his close friends, Gylfie, Digger and Twilight and his mentor, Ezylryb and the Princess, well, that is pretty much what they call her, Autumn Rose.

Now that he has been discharged, everyone in Ga'Hoole is happy to see him around the around again, as he is truly the pride of the Great Tree, a legend in the making. Soren comes into the library and listens, hearing Autumn and the owlets singing songs. Following this unison of words and songs, he finds the Princess and the owlets, as well as the Queen of Ga'Hoole herself watching on.

"And we all fall…" Autumn sings before noticing Soren "Oh, bonjour. Owlets look who it is."

"Soren!" All of the young owlets cheer

The owlets immediately gather around and after a friendly hello, they ask if can tell them a story. Barran walks to the stairs on the balcony above. She has been in the library most of the day, as she has only had two lessons with her students and her mate had the rest of the day with their students in Moon Master Class.

"I'm afraid that will have to wait until another time, young'uns." Barran says, much to the dismay to the owlets who then moan with disappointment "Autumn, teach them some French songs, would you? They don't get taught languages until they're older, but they'd give it a go."

"Of course." Autumn replies with a nod of her head, "Alright owlets, I'll teach you a song in a different language…"

"The kids have missed your storytelling, lad. You are quite the raconteur, if I do say so myself." The queen comments, while watching the owlets disappear

"Well, it comes sorta naturally to me, madam." Soren replies

"I want to speak with you. It is important." Barran then mentions, before walking off, "Follow if you may."

"Yes, madam." Soren replies

They then start heading away from where Autumn is making the owlets sing some of the songs she knows in her second, often first, language, French. She then fixes her hooded cape for a bit before continuing.

"I have heard you have been having some strange dreams. Is this true, Soren?" Barran asks, as they walk through the library

"Well… May I ask, your majesty, but where did you hear that?" Soren asks back

"As a monarch, you can hear a lot about those who are in your kingdom just by being around, or even unintentionally." She replies, before turning her head, "Now, I implore you to answer my question."

Soren remains silent for a moment. They then approach a door, royal guards open it for them, they walk through into a corridor, which seems very quiet, even for this time of night, and they then continue on this wayward path.

"It is true." Soren answers

"I know what they are." Barran says with a caring look, that has no intimidation to its nature, "It is not daymares, they can never be. It is a gift that you had been bestowed with at birth, and not until now has it been realised."

"Do you know what it is? And… What do they mean?" He asks

They then come to another set of doors and they are opened for them again. They then enter a grand chamber that has books lining the walls for up until the roof above and a chandelier hangs at the centre of the room, crystal and candles. –Pure elegance for a royal study

"It is called Starsight, Soren." Barran explains, as she then walks over to the bookshelf "In your sleep, oftentimes dreams may occur that show a slight glimpse into the future. It is like… Like the concept of déjà vu."

"So when it happens, it is like I have seen it before. Is that correct?" Soren asks

The snowy queen chuckles, "That's one way of putting it, creative way to explain it indeed."

"How… Why do…?" He tries to ask, lost for words now

Barran gets a book off the shelf and then places it down on the table near her. She opens it to a page where it shows the gifts that some are bestowed with, whether it is to gods, demigods, or just to the ordinary owlets born.

"You see, Starsight is one of the many gifts that can be bestowed on an owlet upon their birth. I would see that Sao, God of the Stars, had smiles upon you and gave you this gift, much like Amara, the Goddess of Beauty was so long ago." She explains, pointing to the certain picture that she is walking about

"So… When I was born… I was given a gift by one of the fourteen owl gods?" He asks

"Yes, it seems so." Barran answers, "And if anything the gods seem like they would think highly of you, as with the wounds you had, we hath prayed and it came though. Although a goddess may be behind it all."

"I just lost you there." Soren replies, "A goddess made sure that I would have lived?"

Barran places a book down in front of Soren. One, which has no name, but has an emblem on it. A crescent moon on the cover of the book that has no title.

"I want you to read this… But, not until it is time." Barran requests

"How do I know when, madam?" Soren asks

"When the moon loses its shine in the middle of the full moon. When light turns to immediate darkness." The queen answers, "You may go now, lad. I'm sure that the owlets would love to hear a story before first light."

Soren nods his head with respect, "Madam."

The snowy queen watches as the young Barn Owl leaves, before placing the book back on the shelf of books, which remain in the royal study. She has a slight smile, as she has for filed a mission on the behalf of the interests of her allies, who have watched these kingdoms go to ruin and despair, in their own ways and want to make change for the better…

One-step at a time.

* * *

Kludd gets up to a lot, though he really doesn't need to as he is supposed to be resting, but of course, they know of how stubborn some can be when it comes to their health. Nyra was the one who made Kludd rest when he was ill, sadly it is not extended to now as he does not seem to listen, not even to the girl he wants more in the world than anything to be her mate when they know it is ready to marry. That is when the flowers in the garden in the Royal Courtyard flower and that is when Nyra wants her wedding to be. Kludd just agreed, as if anything, he wants to make her happy more than anything in the world, especially since this is her second wedding now.

"Kludd, you should really be taking it easy." Nyra sternly reprimands, "Hagsmire, how in the hagsmire are you supposed to get better when I keep seeing you active?"

Oftentimes, Nyra has to be more like a mother to her fiancé, when really, she doesn't have to, but he doesn't expect to be verbally reprimanded this time around, as Kludd is more sincere and he cares too much about her to ever want to be mad too long. She has to replace his dressings on the wound, it really seems necessary to do so. She takes off the dressings and is getting some new ones, while Kludd looks at the wound on his leg.

"It doesn't look as bad as it was before." Kludd says

"Yes, even if you pretty much are refusing doctor's orders." Nyra coldly snaps

He sighs with agitation, "I can walk on it can't I? There are more important things to do beside loiter around this bloody base bludging."

"Kludd, please. I just want you not to do too much if you're going to be like this." She pleas as she wraps bandages on his healing wound

"Nyra…" He takes her wings, interrupting what she is doing, "In the absence of the bloody daymares, in these weeks, hours, days that I have been able to sleep without waking abruptly, I have realised where we have gone wrong. Everything is bad nowadays, ever since our shameful defeat in Ga'Hoole. We have to regroup and rebuild and for the love of Glaux, I have to be active in my duties as Lord High Tyto."

"…Morin has been at the Palace of Darkness in The Beaks." She mentions

"I am well aware of that." Kludd answers, "But funnily enough I thought the palace was in ruin."

"The two palaces, Shadow Pass and the Palace of Darkness are still intact; sadly it just seems that the vines and plants have grown over it." Nyra informs him, while finishing wrapping his wound in fresh bandages

"Nyra, send orders to Morin at the palace to have him send over recruits two weeks after reaching adequate training." Kludd orders

Nyra nods, "Yes, dear."

* * *

Back in the Tree, October means the final exams are held in the Guardian Training Academy, for their subjects as well as their electives, their combat training and in Senior Year, chaw placements. Standing outside Fire Master Class classroom, Soren is with his girlfriend Otulissa, who is currently flipping out over the first exams. As emotional support, Soren has to find a way to calm her down, but… she has reasons behind why she is so nervous.

"Oh Soren, I am so nervous." Otulissa says, waving her wings abut like a loon

Soren grasps her wings, "Have you studied?"

"Yes, yes I have." Otulissa says, before breaking away from his grasp on her wings, "But I'm going to fail, I'm going to fail. I'm not going to get into Moon Master Class and… and…"

"Listen to me, honey. You are not going to fail. Getting into Moon Master Class shall be the easiest thing ever since you are so smart. They would be previewed to have an owl like you in that class." Soren says as he grasps on her shoulder again

"But… But…" She breathes

"Listen, if I can almost die trying to stop Metalbeak from killing Miss Autumn, you can do your exams. You can get your marks, you will qualify and sure as hagsmire will be in Moon Master for senior." He says, confidently

Otulissa takes a deep breath, "Ok."

"Alright, Fire Master Middle Year Two students, line up in alphabetical order of last name." The class ryb, Strix Struma, orders promptly, as the exams for today are about to start

Otulissa kisses her boyfriend's cheek, "I'll see you at 4."

She then promptly lines up and Soren remains outside as the students in their second-last year of GTA, Middle Year 2, go into the classroom to do their exams. Junior Year has already entered and Senior Year are still milling about, waiting for their rybs to arrive. Ezylryb comes past, on his way to start exams with his students in Senior Year.

"Hey, Master Ezylryb, do all girls get this way before exams?" Soren asks, and being near the students the respectful address should be used

"Only the academic ones and the girls in Moon Master Class." Ezylryb answers

"Hmm, go figure." Soren mutters

"Soren." Ezylryb says before looking towards his students, "Alright, Ocean Class Senior Year, you know the drill. Alphabetical order, last name, you've only been doing it for the past four years."

Soren just heads off to City Centre. He hasn't any chaw duties or anything because of having time off in recovery. He has been given a generous amount of time in recovery before resuming his duties. And walking around the area in which includes the landing platform and around the area until the parliament and as far as the GTA, primary and pre-schools. Soren comes into the middle of City Centre, the actual City Centre, and Princess Autumn is darting about.

"Miss Autumn, shouldn't you be on exam supervision like the other rybs?" Soren asks, a little confused as to why she is here, not there

"Well, Actually I had to cancel. I have too many things to do and my friend, the Senator of Tyto, will be leaving soon and… oh it is a nightmare lad." Autumn answers while holding a clipboard under her wing, "And if anything, the wedding is in five months and I am already starting all the preparations and, really, someone has to do it."

"Well, ok then." He awkwardly replies, "See you later, Miss Autumn."

Soren walks away and has a confused look on his face; it seems all the girls are acting weird today, not just because it is GTA exam week. But in the case of Autumn, she is getting married in a royal wedding in five months where there will be many owls from Ambala here, besides the several hundred owls in Ga'Hoole. In other words, it's a big deal.

* * *

Speaking of Weddings, with two weeks to go until Kludd and Nyra are going to get hitched, Nyra just seems to be busy all the time. As for Kludd, taking it upon himself to somewhat take it easy, for the sake of the most important night of his life, he finds it boring being in his room for a few hours, especially when she isn't there. The ladies in waiting may be darting about, whenever Nyra sends them on errands, but no sign of her sometimes until dinner and before bed.

Helping himself to the slightest bit of wine, not attempting what he had done weeks before, getting drunk before falling asleep, now with the daymare that followed, he rather not do that again. Kludd just is in his bedchamber, bored out of his mind, the silence just enough to really piss him off, when a voice breaks the silence upon the opening of the door.

"…Just give her this." Nyra says to her attendant

"Yes, madam." The attendant replies before leaving

Kludd finishes the last of his glass of wine, and Nyra comes up to him and hugs her husband to be.

"How was your night, my love?" Nyra asks

"Really boring." Kludd lazily replies

"I'm worry I wasn't around tonight. With the wedding..." She apologises

Kludd cuts her off, "No, no. It is alright, love. You are doing what you do, plan events and deal with all the stuff a bride to be should. I'm just… just having some time. Like you said, I need to have some more time."

"Oh, Kludd…" Nyra holds him in a tender hug, "Don't sound like that, I want you to be as happy as I am. Even if I am just running around, yelling and being a bit of a queen bridezilla and all that, I still maintain a smile. Grin and bear it, my love."

"I guess." He half-heartedly answers

"Let me tell you now, you will love the cape I will be wearing. They did a brilliant job. I mean, there will be a long train, but they can just take it off so I am able to dance in it and stuff." She smiles

"Am I allowed to see it?" He asks

"Not until the night, not until the night." She replies, tapping him on the beak, "Can you walk without the stick? Show me, please."

"I'll try." Kludd replies

He places down the stick that usually goes under his wing, under his shoulder, and walks on his leg, he has a slight limp in his walk, but that is mostly because the wound and with the bandages, they pretty much are restricting movement. But anyway, without some errors, he can walk.

"I'll just take it easy, just to be sure." Kludd says, standing in the middle of the room, "Elanore doesn't mind taking charge, does she?"

"She wouldn't mind, if anything she understands and she is my maid of honour, you know." Nyra replies, "Will you join me for dinner tonight?"

"I'd love to." He grins, "Of course, sooner or later I won't be seeing you so much."

"I'll miss you." She says

Kludd wraps his wing around his wife to be, after collecting his walking stick, "Why don't we go and see Elanore and Morin in the training yard. Freak them out, hmm?"

Nyra chuckles, "You and your ways…"

* * *

In the Great Tree, owlets have an upbringing that means no matter what, they get the best education and they grow up to become Guardians when they are grown up, that is if they don't have other plans, which is of means of leaving Ga'Hoole before GTA Senior Year.

Since Arriving in Ga'Hoole, the youngest of the Canner family had been enrolled in the school here and she has been learning lots. Soren seems proud of his sister, Eglantine, as she knows how to read now and she read to him one night, they sure taught her fast. In fact, she pretty much is one of the first in her class to have learnt to read.\

"Oh I am so excited to see my little Eglantine onstage in her first school play. I am so proud, Noctus." Marella cheers

"Yes, dear. But no need to get too excited." Noctus replies to his flighty wife

Soren, his parents and Mrs P. are on the way to the primary school, it seems that the kindergarten students are putting on a play and young Eglantine will be involved. It seems that Madame Plonk; head of pretty much everything to do with music in Ga'Hoole, and Autumn, the Ambassador of the Arts and pretty much head of the performing and visual arts side of things, like to have the owlets put on a little play sometimes. As always, the parents always come to see their young'uns in whatever play they put on.

"I never knew Eg was in a play." Soren mentions, "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Soren, we have told you several times over the past six weeks and you have not paid it any mind." Marella replies,

"Oh, Marella, the lad's a Guardian, he's busy of doing whatever in his duties and the least he could remember is a function." Noctus retorts, sticking up for Soren

They then enter the hall and they are in the crowd with other parents and family members who have children in the kindergarten class. It goes quiet when Madame Plonk enters onstage.

"Welcome parents, guardians and family members, We have a bit of a tradition here in Ga'Hoole, the owlets put on a play for their parents. It gives them a small experience into what being in the performing arts is like and, really, the little darlings are a brilliant bunch." Madame Plonk says in introduction "The owlets have worked hard in remembering their lines, so has the director, the Ambassador to the Arts herself. Alright, without fervour adieu, here they are. The Kindergarten students of Ga'Hoole Primary School."

They clap as the curtains open and the students are at the head of the room. Soren watches on as his sister is onstage and she has been given an important role. Marella, their mother is just going gaga over the fact that her daughter s in her first performance ever and Noctus is pretty proud of her, but not like his wife who is like any proud mother. It goes for about a half of an hour and at the end; the crowd cheers and applauds the students. They then are lead in a bow, like they have been taught to do, some of them stumble on their feet, but that is adorable.

The parents remain behind in wait for their owlets to come out when they have finished getting changed and Eglantine comes out along with a few other owlets ready to go home.

"Oh we are so proud of you." Marella says, hugging her daughter

"You did very well, dearie." Mrs P. says to the owlet

"You must be like your brother, being able to enact in front of others." Noctus says to his daughter, "Although all he does is tell owlets legends."

Before Soren can just find a way to take that as either a complement or an insult, Autumn comes out with a parade of owlets following behind with their little bags of clothes.

"Bonjour, Canners." Autumn says, before placing a little headband on Eglantine's head, "Little Eglantine left her headband behind."

"It must have been a lot of work in the drama department getting all of this together." Marella says

"It was, but the owlets managed to pull through it and Madame Plonk did most of the work, dealing with the owlets. I was mostly taking a combined music class twice a week, dear me." Autumn explains, before turning around, "Alright, is everyone here?"

"Yes, Miss Autumn." The owlets reply in unison

"I'm taking them home for their parents." Autumn explains

"If I may ask, was it you who gave Soren his medal? It is Ambalan by the looks of it." Noctus asks

"I did." Autumn answers with a confirming nod, "You have a son to be proud of, Mr and Mrs Canner, for more than being a Guardian."

"Well, we are very proud of him, indeed." Marella says

"Oh, look at the time; it's nearly these little ones bedtimes. Au revoir, Canners." Autumn pips, immediately realising that she has no time for chatter now, not while she has in her care 14 owlets.

The Ambalan Princess takes off with the owlets in a follow the leader fashion. Marella looks on, as she really does wonder how any of the rybs around here can manage with dealing with a whole bunch of owlets, especially if they are young, such as the kindergarten students. Hell, she can only manage at least three at once.

"I do not envy the rybs… so many owlets." Marella says

Noctus and Soren share a discerning look, as she usually isn't the one to judge, but when she can, she can be judgemental.

* * *

In St. Aegolius, Kludd is sitting on his room with a book when he hears laughter from outside in the courtyard. He then gets his walking stick and walks out on his balcony to see Nyra in the courtyard with her ladies in waiting about and Elanore is training herself. Since taking time off to rest, just before this wedding in less than two weeks and to at least give peace of mind, it has been mighty boring. Kludd decides to head down to the courtyard, as self-confinement to his room just seems really awful.

The doors open and Nyra looks up from what she is writing and Elanore pays no mind, as she is focused on her bow and arrow. Kludd walks past and notices that there is something else besides the target in the courtyard.

"I made an effigy." Nyra says, referring to the training dummy, which looks a lot like Soren

Kludd has no reaction at first, that is before he just starts laughing so hard at the resemblance and that Nyra would do such a thing. Nyra has a slight smile of accomplishment on her face.

"You have some humour to you." Kludd says, while trying to stop laughing

"It was your idea, Kludd. That was when you had a few too many and was pitching ideas." Nyra smiles

Kludd comes up and kisses her cheek, "You just brightened my day."

"I plan to." She replies

"If only it were the real thing." Kludd says as he draws his sword and chops off its head, he then looks to Elanore, "Practice on that, Elanore."

Elanore draws three arrows that are held in her claws and she pulls them back before taking a few moments to get the lining. She fires and the arrows land in a pattern that could mean a severe wound or death. Kludd looks on astonished of the skill of the young owl that is General of the Pure Ones, as he has never seen anyone do that.

"How the hagsmire?" Kludd utters, astonished

"Metalbeak taught her that." Nyra explains

"I hit his heart." Elanore mentions, turning the doll to show an arrow in the sewn on heart that Nyra placed.

"That's a nice shot." Kludd complements

"I could teach you if you would like, Lord Kludd." The general says

"I'll take a raincheck on that one, Elanore. You keep practicing." Kludd answers

Elanore nods and draws more arrows and moves back onto her target, while Kludd just comes beside Nyra, who is still working and the ladies in waiting are just playing cards or reading. Nyra has mostly been focused more on the wedding, rather than all of the other duties that Kludd really did thrust upon her because he did take leave, which then have been diverted onto their lower in command, General Elanore and Lieutenant Morin.

"What are you up to, hmm?" Kludd says as he reads over her shoulder

"I'm ahead of schedule." Nyra announces

"That is good." He replies

Nyra looks behind her, "The flowers are just so close, just like our wedding night…"

"Well, those flowers will have to bloom sometime, summer is after spring." He says

"We will have a portrait done, dear. A portrait of our mightiness and husband and wife. It will be painted out here, with a backdrop of flowers." She mentions

"It will really bring out your beauty." He says, taking her wing

"You should have your sword; it will show your mightiness." She suggests

"Good thinking." Kludd replies, before kissing her wing

When it comes to planning weddings, it takes work and as Nyra embraces a side called her inner perfectionist. She has never had to express this side, and most of the people in St. Aegolius are getting a little terrified because when things are not going as good as she want to it to be, she'll yell and… when she gets mad, it want pretty. Call it weird, but Kludd often likes it when she is busy, especially as he did take importance away from her upon becoming High Tyto, if anything, she oftentimes isn't in command, being that Elanore would take charge within the space of a single sentence.

But then again, when does anyone get time to relax around here?


	15. Chapter 15: November

Chapter 15: November

A beautiful sight, the garden in the courtyard outside on the eastern side of the base, originally a gift by Nyra's deceased former husband on their anniversary, has come alive with white, pink and peach coloured flowers, along with some roses. Tonight is surely the night, as promised by the husband to be to his wife to be, that they will be wed this night, with no reservations and no wars to interrupt.

Kludd wakes a little before dusk, and opening the doors and walking on the balcony, brings a sight that makes anyone glad to be here, glad to have lived the hellish failure that was the siege that had happened upon Ga'Hoole that was lost in such way that just brings shame to the Pure Ones. Nyra said that she wanted this night to come, and it has, and he hopes she will be happy about the floral display, as it only does bloom once a year during the late spring, because of when they were originally planted in the courtyard.

A knock comes to the chamber door and Kludd can only expect that it be Morin, because anyone up at this ungodly hour are down in the courtyard handling the final preparations at hand before the wedding at precisely early night, around 10pm. The only other person is with the queen, being her maid of honour. Really, the girl would have her claws full dealing with the woman who is the bride with her… well… pre-wedding nerves which have returned, even if this is the second time around, and he would expect Nyra to be at least apprehensive to be married again, especially if it ends like last time… Nevertheless, Kludd endeavour not to be killed by being impaled on a stick, hagsmire, he endeavours to rule for many years and raise children to be heirs to the throne. And as he calls himself as Lord Metalbeak, he shall build an empire of greatness, in the name of taking the kingdoms over and avenging who has been lost…

"Enter." Kludd says, not paying much mind to the door and only focused on the view below.

"Good evening, Lord Metalbeak. I wasn't expecting you to be up this early." Morin says as he enters

"Hagsmire, the one thing which I didn't expect was how early you and the others have been up." Kludd replies turning himself around and heading back inside, "Now, how is my Nyra?"

"She is fine, Kludd, like the last time you asked about nine hours ago. The bride's camp is well and the Widow Queen herself is soon to be awake." Morin reports

"She is not to be called that anymore, not after tonight. She will be Her Pureness, Queen Nyra once more." Kludd says, before realisation as to what this all means for, "Now, I can only hope that tonight goes off without a hitch or I swear that things will not be good for you nor anyone else. This is my wedding with the woman who means more than the world to me, and it better be good."

"I can only hope it will, my lord. Royal Guards are posted all around the base and around the Royal Courtyard." The lieutenant agrees, "And milady Nyra deserves to be happy… It is all we do hope for since after her husband died more or less nine months ago."

"I hope so too, as this may… just bring back memories of that night where she was made a window by the bastard who is of my blood." Kludd agrees as he then looks out the window, "Tonight is the night…"

* * *

The Widow Queen's 'camp' is on the opposite side of the base, the bride to be herself still asleep as ladies in waiting rush around to get ready themselves and Elanore, maid of honour, herself is already dressed, she has been since very early. All of the ladies in waiting, appointed bridesmaids on the occasion, wear grey and they have taken the initiative to start preparing. Nyra likes how independent Elanore as well as her ladies in waiting can be, as she does want to teach them a lot. Especially the younger ones, such as Elanore who is fourteen and some of them are only sixteen and are daughters of nobles, soldiers or loyalists.

Elanore opens the curtains to the receding sunlight, thinking they might as well wake her up while they have all the time in the world, "Evening, Nyra."

Nyra rises from her sleep, stretches a bit, exerting a yawn, "Good evening…"

"Tonight is the night, milady." One of the ladies in waiting excitedly squeals

"I know." Nyra says, breaking her seriousness by getting up and squealing with the girls, "Oh I am so thrilled."

She then composes herself and the ladies in waiting still are gigging towards their mistress' sudden girly immature outburst of squeals. Nyra then walks over to her dressing table and admires the box that sits on it.

"Ladies, we have a fair few hours to get ready. Time for no mistakes, no smudges or even a single feather out of place." Nyra says, before opening the box on the table, before taking out her headpiece and veil before placing the box on the floor somewhere the ladies will not tread on it. "Perfect…"

When it comes to Nyra and her attendants, the girls have been taught pretty much what to do when preparing before a social event, which means few things. They themselves are already ready to be seen in the public eye, supporting beautiful grey garments with a lacy detail, which they cover with a sort of smock to avoid getting them dirty when around such things like ochre, of all things a messy makeup.

After taking a sometime do clean herself up, her ladies in waiting apply makeup on her face and Elanore and another of the ladies pick up the cape gently, carefully as if it were a delicate piece of fine china. They then place it over Nyra's shoulders and then fasten it so it stays on. They place a silver pin in as to where the strings are tied and as it is said, white really does bring out her pureness well. Elanore moves onto the jewellery while the other girls take over the cape.

"You look beautiful, Nyra." Elanore says as she looks through the box

"Elanore, I guess that you will be in attendance for my wedding after all." Nyra quips, reminding her of the conversation they have a little while ago about the other wedding

Elanore chuckles, while placing a necklace around Nyra's neck, "Well, I am fourteen. Not a six year old."

The white barn owl turns her head, "Tonight is the night…"

* * *

Down in the courtyard itself, the last of the preparations are all being taken care of and Morin has a clipboard, for his own reference, as he checks everything off that he thinks is done. Knowing the rulers, they would be right perfectionists and everything would have to be perfect down the last detail, or there would be a little… well… problematic if something were to be out of place.

Celia is picking flowers, Nyra insisted that they use flowers from the garden, especially as they would be in season by the day, and they had done so. She also insisted that they not just pick all the flowers too, which they did. Celia herself is fixing the bouquet, as when it comes to flower arrangement, it was all wrong and the flowers looked not as good as Nyra would like it.

"Honey, what are you doing?" Morin asks his wife

"Fixing the bouquet; if I know anything about Nyra and floral arrangement, she would hate both the flowers and the colours would be all wrong." Celia answers

"I like the initiative." He says, "The last thing we want is for the bride to be in a cross mood when it is supposed to be the happiest night of an owl's life. Even if she is going to be married twice…"

"Lord Morin." A guard says

He heads over to the entrance to the courtyard, as it is a matter of urgency if one of the guards shows up.

"What is it? Are we under attack?" Morin asks

"All the security are at their posts and the patrols have left the base and patrolling the area." The guard reports

Morin breathes a sigh of relief, "Thank Glaux… For a minute there I thought it was an emergency."

They exchange nods as Morin then heads up the eastern side of the base, back to report the happenings to Kludd. He has to at least report what happens, because there may be a few worries as to what could happen this night. –A Guardian siege of their base, a kidnapping, captive hostage situation in the base… the list goes on. And if anything, he gets reports as to what happens in Nyra's side of things at least every half of an hour. You can never be too careful, because the Guardians may not be ones who hold grudges, but they are the most likely to lead raids when the Pure Ones least expect it, especially if they are led by the best in the Search and Rescue Chaw. And the leader is a hard one to catch; because of her small stature, she is very quick on her talons…

* * *

Back in Kludd's room, he is getting ready and had taken a few moments to swing test his sword, he just as a slight thing with swords, trying to find one that handles the way he likes. He then hears the knock at his door and places the sword away, to maintain his aura of professionalism that he really does work hard to maintain, as one said, image is everything, especially if you are of the royalty in this kingdom.

Morin enters, "Things are going accordingly and the Inner Circle members are soon to have arrived."

"Good, the guests rather be punctual." Kludd replies

Now Nyra, being a woman who knows how image works, made sure of Kludd's cape being the best of all to bring out his mightiness. He places it on and it definitely has an emphasis of royalty and mightiness, because of the shades of gold used. Kludd then fixes it up, and a sash is placed over his head, and attached are medals. And he then looks around for the final piece…

"Where the hagsmire is my helm?!" Kludd yells, slamming his wings down on the dressing table in outrage, "I am not about to wear ochre on the scar on side of my face which is as black as the feathers of Mordecai, looking like that mere owlet I once was. A coward in his own right that former I was…"

Upon turning around, servants come in with Kludd's helm, and he looks at it and it is more shiny than before.

"Nyra ordered that it be polished, my lord." Morin explains

Kludd smirks as he places his helm on, "She is a good woman… It really is a shame I didn't see much of her this week."

Morin then whispers to the messengers and they take off down the hall as fast as they can, as they know what this means. Kludd then straightens himself up, as it is time. Kludd and Morin head down the halls as he sends orders and yells for them to make way for their king. The general assembly of loyalists and otherwise soldiers watch as the doors to the courtyard open and enter their king and sovereign, the groom who is just taken by the display he sees…

_"No wonder Nyra wanted the wedding on this night…" Kludd thinks to himself_

Celia, being an attendant present, fixes Kludd's cape as he then stands at the head of the room. She then stands to the side with the bouquets of flowers resting on a table next to her, for the bride and the bridesmaids. The doors remain open as two young owlets, most likely daughters of some of the nobles in the Inner Circle, enter and start chucking flower petals on the ground, and the wedding march starts to play and Nyra enters with her attendants following close behind, donning a sweet smile upon her snow coloured face. She surely comes to the alter and as her cape is being sixed, she is handed a bouquet, like the other ladies in waiting, before Celia takes a seat.

"You look beautiful." Kludd says

Nyra blushes and the ladies in waiting all twitter with giggles as things now begin.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to join his majesty, Lord Kludd, High Tyto of the Pure Ones, and her pureness, Widow Queen Nyra, in holy matrimony." The minister says, "Now, these lovers have prepared some words they wanted to say to each other, and we shall listen."

The last part is directed towards the ladies who are a twitter with giggles and whispers, excluding maid of honour, Elanore who refrains from such… childish manners. They stop and fall silent as their mistress faces Kludd.

"Kludd, when I first saw you… young, brave… talented. I did not know that over the time that I have known you… I would have become in love with you. I was weak after Metalbeak died… I was lost, the army was in tatters, Elanore was scared and I didn't know how to tell her everything could be ok, the day after was sheer hagsmire, but upon returning to the remains of what was... You dried my tears, got rid of my fears, and then took the throne in promise of what could be a legacy in the making. In the months that have followed, you kept me going and never gave up and…" Nyra says, slightly tearing up at the thought, "Not many words else can explain how much I love you. How much I need you, how much I care about you… I guess this will have to do, for now."

Nyra wipes her eyes, along with the others who find her words sweet enough to cry over them. Kludd smiles as he faces his bride.

"Nyra, when I first saw you, you were perfect. I didn't believe love in first sight until I fell for you. I came from where no one cared and… I care about you, Nyra, more than anyone or anything in this world. Now that you will be my wife for until forever… It gives me such… happiness to know that I will have a brave, kind, supportive, loyal and gentle woman by my side." Kludd says, tearing Nyra up a bit more, hoping her makeup is not going to be smudged, "And after tonight, I do so promise you that we will be happy. And that you shall be a queen and mother of owlets worthy to have a mother like you and empress of all the kingdoms."

Nyra smiles, hoping that she will stop tearing up these happy tears before she ruins her makeup… Elanore behind her surrogate mother smiles on, as she really does hope all the best for her, they all do. She was left fragile and scared like an owlet that first day, she was terrified and she didn't know whether they were hunting her or whether she would have do become their leader. Now the future looks bright for her, as promised by the only other owl to care about her.

"Do you, Lord Kludd, Lord High Tyto of the Pure Ones, take Queen Nyra, Widow of Lord Metalbeak, as your wife and queen? To support her in sickness and health, through the wars and battles that may be ahead, for until your final days upon the earth as lord and sovereign." The minister asks

"I do." Kludd replies

"Do you, Nyra Anisette, Widow Queen of the Pure Ones, take Lord Kludd, Lord High Tyto of the Pure Ones, as your husband and king? To rule alongside him through the wars and battles with a just ruling, to love and nurture his majesty and your offspring through sickness and health and to be loyal to him for until your final days upon this earth as his mate." The minister asks the queen

"I do." Nyra smiles

Upon asking if any objections, it remains silent. Anyone who dares speak against why his or her king and queen shouldn't be happy would be a true traitor. Owls sitting on the balconies ready themselves for what comes next.

"I now pronounce you owl and wife, High Tyto and Queen of the Pure Ones. You may kiss the bride." The minister announces

Roars of cheers come from those that attend upon the locking of beaks, signifying their bond that will last up until forever. The owls on the balconies throwing flower petals down onto the courtyard in cheerful sprit. The ladies in waiting in an exuberant twitter, picking flowers from their bouquets and throwing them over the royal couple.

Their beaks part, after these few minutes and Kludd still has his wing on Nyra's face and she barely has her eyes open.

"Tonight we dance." Kludd mutters, the cheers slightly drowning out his voice

"I cannot wait…" Nyra replies, her voice also seeming very quiet

* * *

As teary heartfelt moments in St. Aegolius captivate hundreds, on the other side, in Ga'Hoole, Farewell seems high on the agenda. Tonight, Sienne returns to Rosewood. Since Ramaxon's defeat and the fact that most of those who rebelled were killed, peace was restored in Rosewood and in Tyto Forest. The resistance was restored and the damages undone, Sienne's niece, notorious of being the one who will kill Ramaxon Pettit, has come out of hiding and she may someday play bounty hunter, if the OWER and the UKO abandon their search.

The wounds inflicted on the night of such a coup had healed, no noticeable scars present. She stands in Ga'Hoole wearing a plum coloured scarf, pinned with the ends at the side of her neck and with her long-time friend, Autumn Rose Kin and her friend's fiancé, here to see her off back to Rosewood. The pair of girls exchanges a hug as goodbye, as they mayn't see each other for a little while.

"I hope to see you soon, Autumn." Sienne says

"I do hope before the chaos of my wedding in March, Sienne." Autumn answers

Sienne smirks, "It is only as chaotic as you make it, Princess Bridezilla."

"True, true." The small spotted owl agrees with a nod of her head

"We hope to hear that that bastard Ramaxon is captured at some stage." Ezylryb says, "If anything, if he doesn't turn up soon… he'll be fair game for your niece, Sienne."

"Bryony will someday have her revenge. She will as she never seems to forgive and forget, especially after what he did… But anyway, I'll see you when I do, Princess. Bye." Sienne says

She then takes to the sky, leaving behind the place that was a safe-haven for her since that night a few months ago. Autumn is happy to see her friend finally able to return home, as it was often worrying Sienne how the community and otherwise the kingdom itself was in its welfare, especially since being in Pure One/rebel control for at least a month or so.

A thought comes to mind when the Princess turns to face her fiancé, "Honey, have the GTA results for the exams and the class placing been mailed yet?"

"Yes, Boron approved of their mailing last morning…" Ezylryb answers, "Wait, why do you ask?"

The small spotted owl heads off down a different direction, "No reason, no reason."

* * *

Following the exams that were less than three weeks ago, the placing have been mailed out for the classes had been sent, even with their final reports as to what is going on. The night had come and Otulissa awakes with dread, as to if the letter had arrived and if so… what scores she got and what class she will be in for her Senior Year of training. She wakes up and the letter has arrived and she resists opening it, worried that she had failed her trainings and not got into the highest of classes in the GTA. She wouldn't open it until she was with Soren, but she can't help but open it now, as she wants to know if the hard work during exam week and this whole year has been worth it. She then opens it, taking out the first letter, which has the header, 'Guardian Training Academy Senior Year Placement'. She then starts reading and…

Otulissa squeals, "Oh my Glaux! I can't believe it!"

She then continues to squeal as she holds the letter in her claws, rushing around Ga'Hoole to find Soren.

Soren is down in City Centre, walking his sister, Eglantine, to school when he hears the excited squealing and Otulissa appears, landing and running toward the barn owl taking him in a surprise hug.

"Hey… Honey?" Soren says, a little confused, "I thought you were on homework study or something?"

"Soren, I got into the class! I got in! I got in! Oh my Glaux I got in!" Otulissa boisterously squeals

"That's great!" Soren replies, "See, I told you that you would get in, and you were worried…"

She starts happy crying; as this is all she would have ever wanted to do, get into the best class so she can have the best chaw placing and to have a good time before graduating. But… within her hysteria she gets a little too excited and then faints, to the shock of her boyfriend.

"Otulissa! Are you ok?!" Soren exclaims, a bit worried

"I'm ok…" Otulissa says, from down on the ground

* * *

Back in St. Aegolius, it is a time of celebration for all to celebrate the marriage of their king and queen. Kludd and Nyra sit at the head of the room watching the celebration in their honour, Nyra's ladies in waiting, excluding the general, Elanore, are dancing about and Nyra watches in amusement, laughing as the girls dance in honour of their mistress. Kludd wraps his wing around his wife, like Morin who had done the same with his wife, Celia.

The song comes to an end and the girls curtsey and everyone claps as they then sit by their mistress.

Morin stands at the head table with a glass of wine in his claw, "A toast, to Lord Kludd and to milady Nyra. May they live long and may Glaux bless them with a monarchy that is just and true, an army which is strong and someday a child that is as courageous and strong as their father and as smart and quick on their talons like their mother."

As everyone drinks, Kludd then looks to Nyra and she smiles inventively. He keeps hearing something in his head and he then kisses Nyra and heads off for a minute, she doesn't pay it too much mind, as she is speaking with her ladies in waiting. Kludd heads out onto the balcony and Mordecai stands there. As he had said, he would return in a month and after the wedding, but he didn't expect like just after the ceremony and during the reception.

"Congratulations, Kludd." Mordecai smiles

"Why are you here? You said _after_ the wedding and this still counts as the wedding." Kludd asks

"Time is of the essence boy, time until the takeover of the world by the Pure Ones. We will someday find the key that will be vital to taking over this wasteland." Mordecai replies, abruptly explaining himself

"What do I have to do?" Kludd asks

"Noting for now, lad. Nothing for now." Mordecai answers

Mordecai dissipates and he hears muffled calling before the door opens and the origin of the calling is present. Elanore is looking for him says he just abruptly left the room without a legit reason and she went to investigate. If anything, she wouldn't want to dampen Nyra's mood, as she hasn't been as happy as she is now since a while before Metalbeak's death.

"Kludd, there you are." Elanore says, slightly relieved, "What is up? Nyra wants to have her dance now and I find you out here?"

"Oh, that time already?" Kludd asks, as he then heads inside and then he turns around, "Elanore, are you coming?"

"In a minute, my lord. I just need a moment to get some air." She answers

He then continues down the path and out from underneath her necklace, she gets a small copy of the portrait and a small envelope, in which she places it in.

"This will be the last ever communication to them…" Elanore mutters

She walks up to a guard and whispers into their ear, they nod and then take off to take the message to where she wants it delivered. Elanore heads inside with a slight smile of pride, as she has tied loose ends, and she hopes that they will never be undone. She enters the ballroom and Kludd and Nyra have stepped into the middle of the ballroom, applauding loyalists they are dancing together. Elanore smiles and then takes her seat with the bridesmaids at the head of the room, who watch on with cheery smiles and giggles abound.

"Nyra, I couldn't imagine a better night…" Kludd says, twirling her around "I really can't."

"Because you can walk again?" Nyra quips, softly chuckling at her joke at her own expense, "Remarrying… I can only remember my first wedding… I feel like I am reliving it, but eight years older and now…"

"Nyra, I promise I'll never leave you. I promise…" He says

"I love you…" She softly mutters before just resting her head on his shoulder tiredly "Erraghh tuoy bit mik in strah. Erraghh tuoy frihl in mi murm frissah di Naftur, regno di frahmm. Erragh tuoy bity mi plurrh di glauc. E mi't, di tuoy..." (**It is obvious as to what this is from... ;)**)

"I want to take you to bed, Nyra." Kludd whispers

"Call it wrong, I have waited so long to hear that…" Nyra replies

The formal celebrations soon draws to an end, and Nyra's ladies in waiting are dismissed, the girls knowing what this means and they give them privacy on this night. Many months of waiting has ended and without any means of interruption, their marriage is consummated and valid, as goes the belief that Nyra herself was brought up with in the aristocracy in the tundra.

* * *

In a realm that has barely any ties in the mortal lands of earth, there is silence. The daylight hours bring the peace of sleep and as things are quiet and peaceful, some who do not have the intention to use this quiet time for nothing more than sleep, are alert. As it is told, in Glaumora, you can expect Winston, the God of Knowledge to have his head in a book, but In the council room, Glaux sits by himself reading a book, unlike Nya who had fallen asleep herself, book just resting on the floor open, he is alert if anything. He hears something and then looks up. There is a slightly quiet knock at the door and the youngest goddess of the order, Amara, barges in with tears streaming down her face.

"Amara… What happened?" Glaux asks, getting up and walking over to the youngling, well, she isn't as young as you think, had come of age before her death, but she is younger than the others and she has childlike innocence.

She panics and he holds her close as she cries and cries, like an owlet that had a terrible daymare, but often in her daymares, her starsight acts up and she is shown slight pictures of something, like a fragmented future.

"What is the matter, Amara?" Glaux asks

"I saw something… In my… In my dreams I saw something." Amara says

"What?" He asks

_"…Mordecai."_

…To Be Continued

The end


End file.
